The Infinite Gate
by Red Chaos Mage
Summary: A great evil is on the verge of release, and Link must go to a new world to prevent it. not the best summary in the world, but... Set after a close friend's WW fic, and rated for language. CH 34 UP
1. Rude Awakenings

Red Chaos Mage- Hi, I'm Red Chaos Mage. I will be your host, and I welcome you to my first story. First and foremost, I am going to present the disclaimer. I do not own anything relating to Zelda, nor do I own the minor concepts and/or character names some of you will recognize from other games. I used them 'cuz they sounded good. Secondly, I'm going to let you know that Wind Waker's Link will not be making an appearance until next chapter. I think that's all the important matters… On with the show!

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Chapter 1

Rude Awakenings

It began as a normal day in the peaceful town of Nidero. The sun crept over the mountains and temple hidden within them, as it did every morning. The youths of the village arose with its light, preparing for the long day ahead of them. On this day, however, one boy remained locked in the realm of sleep, despite the horrible dreams that invaded his mind.

"It's not working!"

"We can't give up now!"

"Lance! Look out!"

With a deafening crash, young Lance Aran slammed head first into the wooden floor of his room. The voices in his dream abruptly ceased as the impact jarred the boy awake. Groaning, he slowly rose from the floor and looked out the window. With a start, he realized what time it was. Hurriedly throwing on his tunic and strapping his wooden training sword to his belt, he yelled down the stairs. "Mo-o-o-o-o-m! Why didn't you wake me up?!"

"You're almost 18 now, dear. I would think you were old enough to get up with the sun on your own."

"But I'm gonna be late for training!" The following thump told Sandra Aran that her son had, again, slid down the railing of the stairwell.

"Lance, I thought I told you to stop using that railing like that!" Pushing a small bag of food in his hand, she hurried him out of the door. "If you're so worried about being late, why are you still here? Go on, get to class before Graham gets upset. Enjoy your breakfast, and be careful!" With that, she closed the door and proceeded to clean the kitchen.

It had been three months since Lance began honing his skills under the local swordsmaster Graham Baldwin. He had learned much under the old man's strict wing, but he knew all too well the price of arriving to class late. Unfortunately for him, Baldwin's hut lay on the far side of town, and with the sun rising higher into the morning sky, the townsfolk had begun to bustle in the streets. At first the crowds were manageable, but by the time he reached the main square, it was hopeless. "I'll never make it this way..." A mischievous smirk crept on his face as he spotted a ladder leaning against the wall of a nearby house. "There we go!"

Not wasting any time, he scaled the ladder and began jumping rooftop to rooftop. One of the villagers noticed, and yelled "Lance, what do you think you're doing, you troublemaker!"

"Oh, relax Faran," his wife scolded "It's not like he's breaking anything. The boy's probably late to Graham's."

"That old coot? That just makes it seem worse." Lance took a flying leap off the last roof, grabbed a nearby flagpole and flung himself toward the fountain. Not missing a beat, he thrust out his hand, did a neat forward flip off of the top, and landed right in front of Graham Baldwin's hut, a small cloud of dust rising around him. "Especially with the skills he's getting..."

"Oh, grow up, you worry-wart."

Panting, Lance opened the door. The coast seemed clear, so he made a break for his spot, hoping he would make it before Baldwin noticed he was late. Before he could get close enough, a polished steel blade was inches from his face. "You're late."

'_Oh no..._' Lance couldn't believe his bad luck. Baldwin had been right next to the door, fully aware of his arrival. There was no way he'd escape punishment now. "My sincerest apologies, master. I..."

"Save your breath, Aran. You will need it. I need not remind you of the cost of tardiness."

Vaguely aware of the muffled snickering of his classmates, Lance visibly paled. The cost of being late was to engage in a sword battle with Master Baldwin, one on one, with a minimum battle time of five minutes. "Yes sir..." The teacher used his favorite blade, said to have been crafted by the dwarves of Gohdan. The unlucky student facing the trial was allowed a small, wooden broomstick. Baldwin refused to back down until the five minutes had expired, even if the youth's 'weapon' was shattered long before. Lance was fully aware that this was often the case.

Experience also lent to his knowledge. Not long after he had first passed the basics of training, he had arrived late and faced this same punishment. His left hand still bore the mark left by the blade during the encounter, and Lance could not shake the feeling that he may soon bear another similar mark today. "Are you ready?"

Clutching the weak pole tighter, Lance steeled his nerves and nodded. "Let's go."

The words had not even escaped his lips before he was knocked to the side. Baldwin's side slash had taken him so off-guard, Lance barely registered that the attack took place. Quickly realizing that Baldwin was closing in upon him again, he rolled out of the way of the next swift overhead slash. The roll turned into an uppercut, which blocked the next swipe of Baldwin's blade with surprising ease. Bringing his weapon back into position, Lance watched closely for the next attack, which came in the form of a thrust. With a well-timed jump, he landed on the flat side of the blade and whacked Baldwin upside the head. This resulted in a yelp of surprise before the seasoned swordsman swung his blade upwards, taking Lance's balance with it. "Not bad, boy! You've improved since last time!"

Backflipping off of the blade, Lance brought his staff in front of him again to block the incoming swipe. "Thank you, sir!" The attack had left a considerable dent in the wooden stick, which worried Lance a great deal. '_This isn't good..._' He thought in alarm,'_It hasn't even been a minute yet, has it?_' A flash of silver snapped Lance out of his thoughts as the blade again came whipping towards him. This time, he leaped over it and took a swing at Baldwin in midair. The momentum of the attack brought him into a front flip, and he landed behind the older warrior. "Since you've seen my defensive skills, how about trying some of my offense!"

The quip came with a horizontal slash to the man's back, but unlike the aerial attack, Baldwin blocked the blow. Surprised that his master had the foresight to bring the sword over his shoulder like that, Lance withdrew slightly before charging again. Face to face once more, the battle raged on, the boy matching Baldwin almost move for move. Avoiding another overhead slice, Lance rolled to the side and returned with a quick blow to Baldwin's knees. "Ah ha ha! Good!" The old swordsman laughed as he rolled backwards onto his feet again. "Your skills are indeed quite impressive! Even so..." The warrior feinted left, then struck with an arcing slash to the right. The last of the wooden weapon's endurance gave out with Lance's final parry, the makeshift sword snapping cleanly in half. "...you are still but a boy!"

"Maybe..." Lance spun back, slashing with a half of the broomstick in each hand. Neither blow striking, the youth backflipped to a safer distance and, to Baldwin's surprise, threw one of the poles straight up. "But you can't blame me..." A quick, well-timed horizontal slash sent the airborne wood piece hurtling towards the elder swordsman. "For trying!"

Stunned, Baldwin knocked the stick out of the air easily. However, he realized too late that the move had merely been a ploy to distract him. During his momentary confusion, Lance had closed the gap between them and landed a clean blow on the swordsman's hand. The clang of the steel blade hitting the floor was virtually drowned out by the amazed gasps by the other students. No one had ever successfully disarmed the great Graham Baldwin.

Lance's victory was short lived, as he quickly found himself facedown on the floor, dazed by a blow he never saw coming. "Very well done, Aran. Your father would have been proud. However, you forget the most important rule in the art of self-defense. Even the unarmed can prove to be worthy adversaries, and you must never let down your guard." He turned and scowled at the others. "Let this be a lesson to all of you!" Sheathing his sword, he said to Lance quietly, "Perhaps this lesson will persuade you to come to class on time from now on. Now, join the others."

Dejectedly, Lance seated himself next to his longtime friend and rival, Hugh Connor. Always the cynic, the dark haired boy quipped "Nice trick, kid."

"Shut up, Hugh. I'd like to see you take him on. Why I bet..." His words were abruptly cut off by an explosion outside. "What the hell?!"

One of the townsfolk, whom Lance quickly recognized as Faran from earlier, burst through the door. Fear was clearly etched on his features, which alarmed the students greatly. "Graham! You have to help us! It's huge! It came from the Temple! It... oh..." Faran collapsed onto the floor in a faint. Chaos soon erupted in the room.

"SILENCE!!!" Baldwin's bellow quickly quieted the class. "This matter is important, so listen carefully. The lot of you are very skilled, but if what Faran fled from is what I think it is, you will do more harm than good if you all accompany me. Therefore, I shall be taking the top two students and ordering the rest of you to return home to protect your families. Lance!" The boy nodded quickly, eager to get some real action. "Hugh! You two will stay."

"As you command, Master Baldwin." Hugh said with a curt bow.

"The rest of you must go. Avoid the creature if you can, and get home as quickly as possible. Dismissed!" As the class dispersed, Graham took his two chosen by the shoulders. "You two. Come with me."

Hugh grinned slyly at Lance. "Hope you're not tired, pal."

"Who, me? Keep dreaming, it's showtime!"

Graham Baldwin led them to a small room in the back, in which hung an old tapestry inscribed with seven symbols circling what seemed to be a crystal. Turning to face them, it was clear that the old man was worried. "My sons, I fear that the creature from the Temple may be evidence that the temple's seal has been tampered with..."

The two looked at each other briefly, each very confused. "Seal? What seal?"

"About 5 millennia ago, there was a great war against an incredible evil power. It was sealed away in a sacred Forbidden Realm by a band of heroes, and built temples, like the one by our very town, to keep that seal intact... Such things are of little importance at this hour, show me your swords." The wooden blades they each draw were quickly thrown to the side by the annoyed teacher. "No, no, no. Those won't do. You need steel. Here." Opening a compartment hidden in the wall, he handed each young warrior a gleaming metal sword. "These are not as durable as Gohdan blades are, but they will serve your purposes for the time being."

Giving the weapon a test swipe, Lance couldn't help but grin at the lightweight feel of it. "Thank you sir." All three swords drawn, the group head outside to face the threat to their peaceful town.

They did not have to look far. Lumbering its way toward the Central Square was a large reptilian beast. As it spotted the trio, the creature roared and extended an imposing array of spikes on its back. The crazed lizard then charged headlong toward them, obviously bent on crushing the new prey. Hugh and Graham dashed to the sides to avoid it, but Lance just walked calmly toward the spiked lizard as if unaware of it rapidly closing in on him. "Lance, what are you doing?! Get out of the way!"

"Almost... just a little closer... Gotcha!" As the beast reared back to overtake him, Lance backflipped, kicked off of the wall of the building behind him and soared over the creature's head. Reaching down as he flew, the boy grabbed the single horn on the beast's head with his free hand and swung himself onto the surprised lizard's unprotected neck. Enraged by this new rider, the spiked lizard began to thrash wildly. So wildly that Lance had to use both arms to keep himself from being flung into the spikes on the beast's back. "A little help would be nice!"

Not hesitating, Hugh and Baldwin each went to attack the monster's side. Baldwin sliced along the left flank towards the tail, which proved to be a very bad idea. A powerful swipe from the reptile's armored tail sent the old swordsman into the dirt, unconscious. Hugh had more luck, choosing to go for the creature's legs. With the thrashing, he almost got trampled a few times, but his systematic slices quickly caused the rear right leg to collapse on itself. With a sickening thump, the thrashing ceased. "Lance! Finish it!"

"Say good night, scale face!" Spinning his sword so that the blade faced the ground, Lance thrust as hard as he could into the creature's skull. With a final, anguished cry, the Spiked Lizard fell to the dust, lifeless. "Well..." Lance said as he dismounted, "That wasn't so hard."

"You arrogant little..." Hugh was interrupted by Graham coming to. "I'll deal with you later."

Raising himself shakily to his feet, Graham Baldwin surveyed the boys' handiwork. "Well done, my sons... What?!" The body of the lizard began to glow white, wisps of pale red smoke rising from it.

Hugh could only gape at the sight. "How in the name of..."

"That's impossible!" Lance was completely dumbfounded. The Spiked Lizard's remains had completely vanished, blown away in the many small wisps. All that remained was the green blood stain where Lance's blow had struck.

The old swordsman was deathly pale. "So it is true..." he breathed, "The Seal is in danger..."

Lance and Hugh each turned to face their master. "Sir Graham, what exactly happened five millennia ago?"

Graham snapped out of his trance and said "Go back inside my hut and wait for me there. You will learn the events of the past in due time. I must confer with the Counsel immediately about this. I will not be long."

**__**

End Chapter 1

RCM- There. I hope you enjoyed the first installment. There's plenty more where that came from, so review and let me know if you want to see what happens next. Until we meet again, friends, farewell!


	2. Tetra's Premonition

RCM- This next chapter is brought to you in part by fellow authoress, Aria Zephyr. I am basing Link's experience off of the events in her story _The Way the Winds of Time Blow_. I encourage all of you to check it out. I personally think it was awesome. Before I forget, I don't own Zelda or any other game material. Now, it's the time you have been waiting for! Link's first appearance in 5… 4… 3… 2… and… 

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Chapter 2

Tetra's Premonition

Gazing up at the stars, a young boy of 14 pondered what would happen next. He had traveled far and wide already, but he couldn't help but wonder if there was something else calling to him, another task he was meant to complete. As the waves rolled gently under the wooden planks of the ship, he thought he heard the sound of a door opening. "Hey, Link!" The boy looked over his shoulder and smiled at the girl approaching him. "What are you still doing up? It must be near 3 in the morning."

"It's nothing Tetra… I was just thinking…"

The pirate captain wrapped her arms around his neck. "What about?"

"I feel like there's something calling to me… Something more amazing than anything we've seen before…"

Tetra smiled at the thought. "Sounds like fun. I hope we find it." She gave him a quick kiss before turning back to return below decks. "I don't want you to wear yourself out, we've had a rough few weeks."

Link winced at the unpleasant memory of the witch he and Tetra had recently defeated. "Yeah, I know… I'll go to bed soon, don't worry."

She smiled before opening the door. "I love you."

"I love you too." The soft click of the door left the Hero of Winds back to his thoughts. He pulled out his sister's telescope and began peering more closely at the flickering orbs in the sky. '_I know something needs to be done… but what could it be…?_'

Meanwhile, Tetra lay in her bed once more. As she closed her eyes, she began to feel a darkness surround her. Suddenly, she saw seven people standing together, facing a growing shadow-like monstrosity. Noticing one of them was wearing green clothes and a floppy green hat, she immediately realized one of the seven was her Link. However, the remaining six she could not make out.

The shadow reared back and seemed to unleash an incredibly large blast of pure energy at the group, which collapsed under its force. As she watched in horror, Link fell to his knees, smoldering in the black fire that the shadow had attacked with. With a scream, her eyes snapped open and the images faded from her vision. She heard a door slam, and within seconds, Link had charged into the room. "Tetra! What happened, are you alright?!"

Panting, Tetra curled her legs to her chest and shook her head. "No… Link, I don't think I am…" He sat down next to her as the rest of the pirates rushed in.

"Miss Tetra, we heard you scream. Is somethin' the matter?"

Tetra smiled weakly at Gonzo, who looked as worried as ever. "No, thanks, I'll be okay. Go back to sleep."

The pirates nodded, and they all turned to go. After the last one had gone downstairs, she let loose and started crying heavily on Link's shoulder. "Tetra, what happened to you? You seemed fine while on deck."

Wiping away her tears, she looked Link in the eye. "You know I have visions of the future sometimes, right?"

The boy could feel his body tensing, as if he already knew what just happened. "Yeah?"

Tetra took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I think… I just had another one… I saw you with six people… warriors. You were all facing a huge shadow, bigger than anything we've seen before. It… it had so much power… it attacked you all and… you were hurt, really badly. You all were. Just from a single blast… I'm afraid… I don't want that to be what's calling for you."

Link embraced her, stroking her hair gently. "Shh… it'll be okay. Just relax, I'm right here."

"Thank you… please stay…"

Link hugged her tighter. "I'm not gonna leave your side until we raise anchor. Now let's get some sleep, okay?"

With Link by her side, Tetra slept peacefully through the last few hours of the night. At sunrise, she loudly gave the order to change course for the Forest Haven. "Link, if you please?" Smiling, Link took out the magic conductor's baton known as the Wind Waker. Moving his arms in a fluid motion, he conducted the Wind's Requiem and set the wind to blow in the right direction.

"May I ask why we're going there?"

"I need to ask the Deku Tree about my dream. He may know something."

Link checked the sea chart, then looked at her questioningly. "But we're closer to Dragon Roost Island. Couldn't we go there first and ask Valoo?"

Tetra slapped herself in the forehead. "Of course… I must be more tired than I thought. Okay, we'll go with Link's suggestion. Turn this ship around. Link, do your stuff." With a laugh, Link complied. "And stop that snickering, you." Despite her words, she couldn't help but smile back.

**__**

End Chapter 2

RCM- I know that was considerably shorter than my first chapter, but I promise Link's involvement in the story will increase dramatically as soon as he enters the realm where Lance and Hugh live. Speaking of whom, why don't we see what they are up to…? 


	3. The Legends of Old

RCM- While Link and Tetra head off to investigate that dream, I think that we should check in on our other heroes. Let the legends unfold.

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Chapter 3

The Legends of Old

" 'I need to speak with the Counsel' he says. 'Oh, I won't be long, wait inside' he says. What a joke!" Hugh ranted on, though by that time Lance had completely blocked out his old friend's complaining. It had been over an hour since Baldwin had left them to talk with the Counsel of Elders, and it was growing ever clearer that Hugh was not the patient type. "If he's not back in five minutes, I'm going home!"

"Hugh, get a hold of yourself." As Lance hopped of the table he was sitting on, a weary Graham Baldwin walked through the door. "Master, what happened? You look terrible."

The eyes that looked back at the boy were virtually devoid of life, but the old swordsman found his voice and stated simply, "It is worse than I feared…"

Hugh could not escape feeling interested in what the old man was saying for once. "What is?"

"The Seal of Infinite Gate has been weakened…"

The boys both recoiled. "Infinite Gate?! But I thought that was only a legend!"

Graham took an old book from the back room and slumped heavily into a chair. "No, Lance. It is true… After speaking with the town elders, it has been decided that now is the time for you both to learn of your heritage… and your destiny."

Opening the book, Graham read the faded passages aloud. "It began several millennia ago, before the world knew order. Forces of Light and Dark battled each other for control of the universe. At times, the Light drove the Darkness out of the lands and prosperity ruled. Other times Darkness reigned, leaving both death and ruin in its wake. 

"For centuries, wars continued to erupt between the two forces, and the evolutions of power divided the creatures of the land into many different forms. Of the bringers of Light came four races: The Elves, guardians of the woodlands; The Snow Nymphs, keepers of the winter snows; The Forest Clanners, hunters of the plains; And we, the Humans, unifying them in courage against the Dark. Of the Shadow came three races: The Fire Dwarves, warriors of the barren wastes; The Weirdlings, unpredictable swamp dwellers; And the Darkmen, evil to the core, and leaders against the Light. And between these two powers came a pair of neutral races, aligning with neither force: The Dwarves, miners who care little for the outcome of the conflict; And the Hillfolk, craftsmen who wish only to be left alone to their work.

"However, fate would have the struggle end in an ironic way. As the battles intensified, an entity emerged that fed on the destruction both sides caused. At first, it went unnoticed, a mere annoyance at worst in their eyes. However, this would prove to be a near catastrophic mistake. As the entity gained power, it threatened the very existence of life itself, Light and Dark alike. It became known as the one thing that increased its power by the day: Chaos.

"As Chaos grew stronger, the Gods saw only one way to stop it from consuming the world they had created. Turning to the races below, they selected a small group of warriors from both sides to stand up to the evil entity. However, their efforts seemed to be in vain, as their actions did not stop Chaos's growth. Growing desperate, the Gods bestowed upon them what has since been called the Seven Elements of Chaos. When all seemed lost, a lone Hero rose from the ashes of the chosen ones and struck down the evil with the seven elements. Though the entity could not be killed, the Hero succeeded in banishing it to a Forbidden Realm.

"In order to ensure that Chaos would not escape its confines, the seven chaos elements were combined to form the Chaos Crystal Seal. This seal has also been called the Infinite Gate. Should that crystalline barrier ever be broken, the entity Chaos would be released unto this world and rain destruction from the heavens. These events happened exactly five millennia ago."

Hugh and Lance looked at each other, one with a look of skepticism, the other with a look of concern. "How does the creature relate to this, Master Baldwin?" Hugh asked, clearly doubting how any of this could be true.

"It says here that should any of the temples where the essences of the elements sleep be disturbed, evil monsters will begin to arise to bring chaos into this world, making the entity stronger while still imprisoned. The Spiked Lizard was but one of these creatures… I imagine it represented the element of Fire."

"What are the elements?"

"There is a cycle of six, and a ruling seventh. The cycle includes Fire, Water, Thunder, Earth, Wind and Wood. The seventh is Shadow, which encompasses aspects of each of the others. The essences of the elements have been dispersed among the races in order to prevent another outbreak of Chaos. From what the elders have told me, it is your destiny to gather these elements and restore the seal."

Hugh scoffed at this. "Us? You're kidding, right?"

"No, child. I speak the truth. The Human warriors chosen by the Gods were of the families Aran and Connor. Do you not find it odd that the Lizard stopped what it was doing when it caught sight of you? Or that it was the two of you working together that brought it defeat? You are descended from the Chosen, and your destiny couldn't be clearer." He looked into the eyes of his young apprentices, who have both begun to truly believe. "According to legend, each element essence has been encased in a crystal shard after the seal was created. If you are to protect the ancient seal, you must gather them and infuse their power onto the Infinite Gate itself."

Lance raised an eyebrow in confusion. "How are we supposed to do that? The Gate is protected by magic, isn't it?"

"Yes, but with the essences of the elements, you should be able to locate the seal and restore it. From what I have heard there are a total of seven temples housing the crystal shards."

Hugh nodded, gesturing towards where the Temple of the Elders would be. "The first being the temple right outside of town."

"Correct. The second is located in the Northern Reaches of Telonia, in the care of the Snow Nymphs. From what I understand, four of the remaining temples lie in the continents of Gohdan and Makai, and the final shard is hidden in one of the Towers of the Central Isle. Unfortunately, I know nothing of the details regarding them…"

Lance smiled. "You've told us so much, that won't be a problem. So all we have to do is get these shards and take them to the Seal?"

Graham nodded. "In the most simplest of terms, yes. Now, before you depart, I must give you boys one more thing." Reaching into his faded brown tunic, the old warrior threw a small satchel of coins into Hugh's hands. "There should be enough in there for each of you to buy some decent armor. Once you are equipped, meet me at the foot of the mountains." With a nod, the pair departed, leaving Graham to prepare himself.

It didn't take the boys long to buy what they needed. As Hugh handed over the coins, Lance secured the last piece of his new armor. "Thanks Paul."

"No problem, boys. Just stay outta trouble, ya hear?"

"Sure thing." Lance said happily. The blonde warrior proudly wore a lightweight leather breastplate over his favorite blue tunic, plain leather boots with matching gloves, and his normal green pants. Looking at what Hugh selected, he couldn't help but snicker "Dark enough for ya, Hugh?"

Though wearing the same protective armor, Hugh elected to garb himself in a black tunic, midnight blue pants and a stunning red cloak. "It looks better than yours, blondie. Where's your cloak?"

Silently seething for the hair remark, Lance answered "It's at home. We can grab it on the way out of town." The pair walked toward the Aran house, unmindful of the chatter around them. They were completely oblivious to the fact that the chatter was about them.

"Is it true? Did they slay it? Which one saved us? What happens now? Where are they going? Are they the ones? Why did this happen?" Question upon question roamed the streets, each spawning new curiosity in the coming fate of the two boys. Sadly, word traveled faster than they did.

"Mom, I need my…" the sight before him stopped Lance in his tracks. "…cloak…" Coming down the stairs was his mother, carrying the treasure chest that usually slept in the attic above Lance's room. "Mom, what are you doing?"

Silently reaching into the chest, she lifted a golden medallion into view. In the center was inscribed a beautifully intricate dragon, and seven gem-shaped slots adorned the ring around it. "Lance… this medallion was passed down in our family for generations… Before your father died, he told me to give this to you when you had truly matured into a man of honor… I suppose that time is now, isn't it…"

Lance noticed the tears threatening to overtake his mother. "Mom…"

"This medallion was the way in which the Hero of Legends contained the seven powers of the Chaos Crystal Seal… the seven Elements of Chaos. Is it true that you are going to the Temple to collect the shard hidden there?" Silently, the boy nodded. "Then you must take this with you… It will aid you in your quest…" She gingerly placed the amulet around her son's neck, then wrapped him in the sky blue and yellow cloak he had come for. "Take care of yourself, my son."

With a solemn smile, Lance nodded again. "I promise I will."

As he left the house, Sandra Aran fell to her knees in tears. She had seen the amulet glow when it touched Lance, and that meant only one thing, a distinct possibility she had hoped against hope was not the case. "Woe betide us, Isaac… our Lance may be the Chosen One…"

**__**

End Chapter 3

RCM- It would appear that destiny is calling for these two youths as well… Unfortunately, due to a both a slight case of writer's block for Link's side and a lack of free time, the next update may take a little while longer… don't worry though, I'll get it to you as fast as I can… provided that you review. ;-P


	4. Three and Seven

RCM- I think this'll do. Link and Tetra speak to Valoo and learn of a legend unlike any they've ever heard before. Oh, and before that, Komali asks Link for some… advice. Heh heh heh… As I've said before, I don't own the video game characters or other concepts readers may recognize. Read on.

**__**

Chapter 4

Three and Seven

By nightfall, the pirate ship anchored by the shores of Dragon Roost Island, the fresh air gently blowing across the deck. Just like their last visit, Link parachuted down with his Deku leaf, splashing down into the surf a few feet from shore. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to wait for me!"

The Hero of Winds laughed and waved back to Tetra, who was glaring at him from the deck. "It's not my fault. Come on!" Sighing, she boarded the smaller boat and Gonzo rowed them to shore.

"It's the same way as last time, yeah?"

Link couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, Gonzo remembers the way. Alright then, I'll race you there!"

Right before he could bolt up the trail, he felt a hand grab the back of his collar. "Not so fast, you!" Tetra said with a look saying '_you asked for it this time_.'

Confused, Link waited to see what she was going to do. Tetra's glare held for a few more seconds, then it shattered into a fit of laughter as she ran off ahead of them. "Hey! No fair!" Link took off in hot pursuit, Gonzo and the others trailing behind. He chased her all the way up to the aerie gates before tackling her. "Gotcha!"

Their momentum kept them going, and they found themselves sprawled on the floor at Komali's feet. "Having fun, you two?"

Before long, the entire party of pirates had caught up and everyone was seated at the dinner table. "I'm glad to see for myself that you made it back all right." Medli said as she placed two steaming plates of food in front of Link and Tetra. "Valoo was worried you wouldn't survive."

"We almost didn't." the Hero admitted. "That was too close for comfort."

Tetra jabbed him in the ribs. "You better not be implying that what we walked away with isn't worth it."

Medli looked at them questioningly for a second, then as if something clicked, smiled brightly. "Oh, I understand!"

"So…" Komali said as he took a bite out of his meal, "Tell us what happened. We've been dying to know since Quill brought word you came out of that forest in one piece."

The remainder of the evening went quickly with stories from both sides, though Link's and Tetra's were by far the most discussed. The moon rose high into the sky, shining into the aerie with a calming glow. Looking up at it, the Rito Chieftain rose from his seat. "I hate to break up this party, but I must respectfully bid you good evening. The hour grows late, and I am going to retire until morning."

Komali rose as well. "Yeah, I suppose we should head off to bed now, shouldn't we… Come on Link, let's get the room fixed up."

"On my way." He gave Tetra a quick kiss on the cheek before following Komali down the hall. 

Medli giggled at the scene. "Looks like your dream came true, hasn't it Tetra?" she asked.

Smiling at her friend, the pirate nodded. "It has. With any luck, yours may too." Blushing, Medli only nodded and led her to their room.

Back downstairs, Link and Komali secured the same cot the traveling hero had used the last time he was there. "Um, Link? Can I… ask you a question?"

Wiping his brow with his sleeve, the young boy answered, "Sure, Komali. What's up?"

The prince reddened. "Well… I kinda… want to borrow some of your courage again… like when you helped me get my wings." Link looked at him confused. "You see, I kinda… like Medli…"

Link let out a small chuckle. "Finally got around to admitting it, huh?" Komali's eyes snapped up from the floor, surprise radiating from them. "You think I wouldn't have figured it out? After the way you reacted when Medli first went to the Earth Temple, it was obvious." Link's smile gave the prince a sense of comfort. "You want to know how to express yourself to her, don't you?"

Komali nodded, a bit amazed how easily his friend had read him. "I know how you and Tetra hooked up, so… I was hoping you could give me the push I need to try with Medli."

"I don't think you'll have to worry. If I know Medli, she's fond of you too. I think you two will work out great." Link hopped into the cot, enjoying the swinging motion he created in the process. "Relax, pal. It'll be okay." With a smile, the heir of the Rito tribe blew out the lantern and they both went to sleep.

Morning came faster than Link had anticipated, and before he knew it, the cot flipped over and he was face down on the floor. "Ow… what…?"

"Rise and shine, hero." Tetra's voice teased as he felt something sit on him. Looking up, he saw her lounging on his back, smiling down at him.

"Very funny, Tetra. Would you mind getting off of me?"

The pirate seemed to consider it before shaking her head. "Nope, I don't think so."

Allowing a small smirk, Link closed his eyes again. "Alright then…" Without warning, he arched his back upward, startling the girl. In her confusion, he managed to get out from under her and slip out the door.

"Hey!" Tetra immediately followed, the door slamming behind her. Komali was awakened with a start, but he quickly relaxed once he heard Link and Tetra laughing their way down the hall outside.

Later that morning, Medli, Link and Tetra stood before the great sky spirit Valoo, the Rito girl translating the dragon's speech for the other two. "He says he's happy to see you defeated the witch, and he knows why you're here."

Tetra stiffened. "He knows about my dream?"

Medli nodded, as the dragon spoke again. "He says that it was a warning. An evil force is attempting to release a power rivaling that of the Triforce."

Link blinked in confusion. "But I thought the Triforce's power came directly from the Goddesses. What can be more powerful than goddesses?"

Valoo spoke again. "There are other realms beyond our own. Each one has its own deities controlling them. Ours are the three goddesses, Din, Farore, and Nayru. The power being released is in another realm, and is a deity as well. Valoo doesn't know much about it, but he does know that the seven Gods of that realm helped the people of their world stop the evil entity. Just like our Goddesses created the Triforce, the seven created… I'm sorry, Valoo, can you repeat that last part?" The rumbling voice of Valoo rang out again. "The Seven Elements of Chaos."

Tetra felt a chill run down her spine. "That sounds pleasant…"

Valoo spoke one last time before taking off to the south, and Medli looked at Link in alarm. "He says that if the entity is released, both their world and ours are in danger. He has been told by Din herself that you are destined to go to their world and help the new heroes stop it. He also said to go quickly to the Forest Haven and meet with the Great Deku Tree. He will alert Jabun and they will both meet you there."

Tetra turned and watched the dragon fly into the horizon. "Link, I think you should go on without us. You'll get there faster with the Ballad of Gales. We'll keep in touch with the Gossip Stone…" Turning back, she embraced him in a fierce hug. "Be careful."

**__**

End Chapter 4

RCM- Aw… how sweet… However, it's almost time for the heroes to cross paths. As Link prepares to head south alone to meet the guardian spirits, we will change perspectives and see what Lance and Hugh are doing. Let's go!


	5. Into the Temple of Elders

RCM- The quest truly begins here, as our heroes find and enter their first dungeon… the Temple of the Elders. For those of you who know me from Aria Zephyr's work, you will recognize a familiar face later on… Who am I speaking of? Well you'll have to read and find out yourself! Disclaimer still in effect, by the way.

**__**

Chapter 5

Into The Temple of Elders

The winds whipped at their cloaks as the warriors came to the meeting place. Graham was waiting for them, his former proud stature once again in control. "Good job, boys. Your adventure begins here, in the Talon Peaks. I will accompany you to the summit."

"Where the crystal shard sleeps." Hugh drew his sword. "Let's get going!"

"Hey Hugh! Wait up!" Lance cried as his partner took off toward the mountain trail. "It's safer to stick…"

"Whoa!" A crash and a cloud of dust marked where Hugh had just tripped over a mountain rat, the rodent now scurrying away in fear.

"…Together." Lance tried his best to restrain from snickering, but failed miserably. "Smooth, man. Real smooth."

He and Graham helped the annoyed youth to his feet. "That was foolish Connor. Now it would be wise for you to restrain yourself and stay with us. The trek gets only more treacherous from here." Holding back his growing resentment, Hugh merely nodded. The winding mountain path continued spiraling upwards, until they came across a small ravine. "This doesn't bode well… even with your acrobatic skills, there is no way you can jump across."

"Wait, look." Lance pointed ahead to their left. "The path curves into the wall, then curves around to the other side. I think there might be enough of a foothold to sidle our way along the wall, around the gap."

"Aran, are you nuts? That'll never work!"

"What's the matter, Hugh? Are ya scared?" Knowing his words did the trick, he made his way to the narrow wall. Like he suggested, there was enough room to sidle over, but one wrong move would easily send them plummeting into the abyss. Despite the risk, Lance could see no other way to get where they needed to go. "Come on…" He led the way across, followed by Graham, with Hugh bringing up the rear. While it only took about five minutes to cross, the boy was a bit worn out upon reaching the other side. "That's a relief…"

As Graham set foot on the solid rock of the trail again, he inadvertently knocked a small stone over the side, right into the nest of a blue eagle. Its enraged screech startled Hugh, who nearly lost his footing. His recovery caused even more debris to fall, which really ticked off the avian. "What the hell?! Get this bird away from me!" The angry eagle dove for Hugh's head, the boy barely avoiding the blow. As the eagle tried to free its beak from the stone wall, Hugh lost his balance and began to fall. "Whoa… whoa no… ah shit!"

"Gotcha!" Graham managed to grab Hugh's arm just in time as the bird came around for another attack. "Lance!"

Not wasting a second, Lance picked up a rock and tossed it with amazing accuracy at the incoming avian. Taking the hit, the eagle's eyes seemed to flare as it switched targets, now focusing its attention on the blonde. It charged at him with a screech, but when it got close enough, Lance knocked it into the wall with the flat side of his sword. Now out cold, the bird was no longer a threat. "You okay, Hugh?"

Panting, Hugh said he was. Thankfully for all of them, the remainder of the trip was uneventful. As they came around the final bend, they couldn't help but feel a great sense of awe at the sight of the temple before them. "It's bigger than I expected…" Hugh said, though in his amazement it came out more as a whisper. While the sight amazed Graham as well, he urged the other two forward.

"It's almost nightfall. Let's go inside before some of the less savory mountain creatures come out to hunt." Looking at the sky, they saw Graham was right. The sun was indeed creeping toward the western horizon, already slightly obscured by the surrounding peaks. Lighting a lantern he had taken with him, the old teacher led the way into the dark reaches of the Temple of the Elders.

The first room was spacious, adorned with some peculiar looking statues on either side. The doorway forward was sealed with what appeared to be solid iron bars. "Oh, that's just great!" Lance said in frustration, "Now what do we do?"

"Hey, Master. Shine some light this way, I think there's something written here." Hugh ran his hand along the inscription next to the door, trying to feel the letters out.

Graham gently pushed him aside. "Let me see… I believe this is written in the Ancient Tongue, boys." He looked carefully at the old runes. "I can't make out all of it, but I think this one reads 'Beware.'"

Lance walked to the other side of the doorframe. "Here's another inscription."

Graham crossed over to it, holding the lantern close to the symbols. "This one is faded as well, but I can distinctly make out… 'Stone Swordsman?'" As if in response to his words, an iron gate slammed down over the entrance, trapping the trio inside. They whirled around in alarm, and a stone idol crashed down from a hole in the ceiling. Towering over them, it held a sharpened marble sword in its hand. "Oh… I suppose that would explain it…"

The idol's eyes began to glow, and it slowly began to hop towards them. "What do we do?"

"What else?" Hugh asked with a smirk, sword in hand. "We fight!" He made a charging slash at the creature's head, but it blocked the attack with its armored fist. The next thing he knew, the idol had sent him flying into one of the statues. The impact caused the statue to topple over and shatter into pieces. Unfortunately for Hugh, it shattered on top of him. He was out cold.

"Hmph. Hothead." Lance drew his own sword, but paused when he saw what was happening in the mess Hugh had made. From the rubble of the statue rose what appeared to be a small red fairy. "What the…?"

"I'm free!" The little one cried, joy clear in her voice. "Thank you!"

Oblivious to the newcomer, the Stone Swordsman hopped towards Lance, sword extended. "Um, excuse me, Ms Fairy? I'm glad you're happy, but you wouldn't happen to know how to stop this thing, would you?"

The little fairy quickly flew to the inscription Graham had read right before the idol fell, appearing to be skimming the text. "It says 'The Stone Swordsman is best handled from behind.' Go for the tail, that's gotta be the weak point!"

"Got it. Master Graham, shall we?"

The old man smiled. "I'll distract it while you go for the tail." Maneuvering himself in front of the living statue, Graham watched and waited carefully. As the beast raised its sword, he rolled out of the way. "Now!" Having missed, the idol became completely disoriented in the dust cloud the slash had created. Lance took advantage of the confusion, dashing around the beast and severing the tail with a jumping slash. Without warning, the statue began jumping around wildly.

"Get out of the way! It's gonna explode!" Lance was about to comply, but he saw the psychotic statue start spinning in the direction of the still-unconscious Hugh.

"Oh man!" It had become a race, Hugh's life being the grand prize. Barely avoiding getting hit, Lance hefted Hugh over his shoulder and bolted out of there. The creature slammed into the wall, blowing itself to bits. The force of the blast sent the pair onto the floor. The explosion also seemed to shock open the entrance, the bars sliding back to where they came. "Hugh, you blockhead, get off me!"

Hugh shook off the haze clouding his vision and promptly whacked Lance upside the head. "Who you calling a blockhead, you dolt?"

"I dunno, the one who charged so blindly he got slammed into the wall?"

"Why I oughta…"

"CHILDREN!" As always, Baldwin's roar silenced the bickering. "We don't have time for this." Turning to the fairy, he gave a respectful bow. "Thank you for helping us. I am Graham Baldwin, of the town of Nidero. And these are my apprentices, Lance Aran and Hugh Connor."

The fairy fluttered about happily. "Oh, it's a pleasure! My name is Anarina, but please call me Anri. I hate to ask, but could you three possibly do me a favor?" They quickly glanced at each other before agreeing. "My brother Solaris was trapped in a statue like I was. Can you help me look for him and break him out?"

"Sure… but how do we get past that gate?" Anri looked to where the youth pointed, seeing the sealed passage.

"Maybe the inscriptions have the answer. They had how to kill the Swordsman." She flew over to the door, hovering in front of the carvings.

"Master made out a few of them, but they didn't help much."

Anri nodded absently. "This is ancient Telonian. Not many people know how to read this any more."

Hugh, impatient as ever, interjected, "That's all well and good, Anri, but can _you_ read it?" The fairy scoffed at the remark.

"No need to be rude, Sir Hugh. I can read it. This one here says 'Beware of the guardians if you seek the element within.' The one on the other side of the door was how to beat the Swordsman."

Graham looked up and saw a third set above the door. "What about those?"

The fairy flew up to the runes and translated. "It says 'To open the way to go forward, make your wish here and it will be granted…'" She turned to face them again. "Wow, you think that'll work?"

Hugh laughed at the notion. "Oh please! Wishing for the door opening will make it open?! That's ridiculous!" Without warning, the iron gate withdrew itself into the wall. Confused, Hugh turned to find Lance kneeling as if in prayer.

Noticing his partner, Lance smirked and quipped, "Oh, ye of little faith…" Still incredulous, Hugh followed him through the door. As Anri led them through the labyrinth of hallways, Lance asked, "So how did you get stuck in that statue in the first place?"

The fairy seemed to fidget in embarrassment. "Well… to be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I was flying around the halls when I saw Solaris racing away from the inner chambers, the Spiked Lizard chasing him. The Lizard roared and Sol was frozen in stone. I turned and fled, but when I got to the entrance, there was a blinding white light… The next thing I know, you came and freed me." The boys look at each other, realizing what very well could've happened to them in the central square. As they made their way down a staircase, Anri flew ahead and stopped in midair. "Sol! He's in this room! I can feel it!"

Hugh scanned the surroundings, but all he saw were a trio of torches in the room's center and a group of no less than 20 large bats sleeping on the ceiling. "Where? I don't see any statues."

"Hey, guys." Lance ran his hand along the wall, where more runes lay. "Maybe this will have the answer."

The red fairy quickly floated over and read the inscription. " 'To unlock the unseen, dispel the darkness…'" She turned to Lance. "Any help?"

"Lance… Hugh… look up." Graham's tone of voice immediately grabbed their attention. Noticing that their teacher's sword was in battle position, they followed his gaze to the sleeping bats, where a pair of red eyes looked back at them. One of them had awakened, however it was not an ordinary bat.

"Uh… why does that thing have a cannon on its face?" Hugh's question went unanswered as the creature fired a small rock from its cannon-like snout. Though the shot missed its target, the clacking sound of it hitting the floor roused the other sleeping bats. "Oh, perfect…"

Within seconds, the air was filled with a barrage of projectiles. Slashing at the rodents proved futile, as they evaded each blow with surprising speed. Battered and weakening, Lance found himself pushed into a corner with five Cannon Bats taking aim. As they fired, he made a desperate final slash, hoping an old trick would work again.

Instead of a rock shower, Lance got lucky. The horizontal swipe struck the incoming projectiles, knocking each back to its source. If the impacts alone weren't enough to dispose of the bats, the resulting crash into the wall did the trick. Every one of Lance's assailants had vanished in a puff of smoke. "Hugh! Graham! Knock back their shots!"

Fuming that Lance figured out the way to beat the flying pests before he did, Hugh slashed wildly at the stones, even kicking up old ones that had already come to rest on the ground. In his rampage, he annihilated all but three bats, which Graham calmly disposed of. Turning to the younger warrior, he spoke sternly. "What has gotten into you, Connor?! You are letting jealous rage consume you! Cease before you bring Chaos back yourself!"

Calming down, Hugh sheathed his weapon and hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry Master… Lance…" He looked up as Lance put a hand on his shoulder, smiling despite his injuries. Hugh couldn't help but chuckle as Anri poked her little head out from the hood of Lance's cloak.

"Um… thanks…" The fairy floated out, looking around the room. With the last of the bats vaporized, all that remained were the torches. "Wait a sec… 'Dispel the darkness?' …Of course!"

"Yes, that would make sense…" Graham took his lantern and walked over to the torches. Taking a piece of tinder from one, he lit it aflame with his lamp and tossed it back into the torch. After repeating the process for the remaining two, a triangular beam of light erupted in the space between them. Lance had to shield his eyes against the brightness, but he could barely make out a statue sitting in the center of the beam. His view improved quickly as the beam dissipated, leaving the stone prison Anri's brother was sealed inside.

"Okay, so how did we open Anri's?" Noticing the look on Lance's face, Hugh immediately got a sinking feeling. "Oh no… you gotta be kidding…"

**__**

End Chapter 5

RCM- Yes, that's right. The familiar face was my fairy, Anarina. Once she and Solaris finish their work in the temple, they will be joining me in the Author's Notes. Now that this chapter's concluded, I ask that all of you who read this review it. I should have the next two chapters ready in a few days… no promises though. Don't forget to review!


	6. Currency Issues

RCM- Well, despite the lack of reviews (come on, people!) I have the next set of chapters ready. Now how many gold coins do you think Link will get in exchange for his Rupee supply? Why don't we find out? I still don't own Zelda or any other game stuff. (Do I really have to keep repeating that?)

**__**

Chapter 6

Currency Issues

As the twisting cyclone let Link's boat, the King of Red Lions, touch down in the waters by the Forest Haven, the boy placed the Wind Waker back in his pocket. "I love that trick," he said to himself, sailing the ship the rest of the way to the shore.

The large tree hollow where the Forest Haven was hidden rose up above him as impressively as ever. Quickly scaling the path and entering, Link heard the notes of a familiar "leaf cello," which he knew full well was really a violin. As he approached the music, the little wooden performer turned and greeted him. "Link! Good to see you again!"

"Hi, Makar. Working on next year's song already?"

The little Korok laughed and did what passed off as a nod. "Yes I am, and it's going to be spectacular. I don't suppose you could conduct for me then, could you?"

Link shrugged, twirling the Wind Waker in his fingers. "If I know the song, you got it. But I'm here to see the Deku Tree."

Makar jumped down from the branch he was sitting on and walked with Link toward the center of the hollow. There stood the Great Deku Tree, in all his glory. "Great Deku Tree, Link's here to see you."

The wise face of the Deku Tree seemed relieved to hear that, and lifted the lily pad Link was standing on. "I was expecting your arrival, my young friend. Farore has told me of the problems you must face."

Link nodded. "I was just at Dragon Roost. Valoo sent me here."

The old tree laughed. "Yes, I know. He and Jabun should be arriving shortly. Now, Farore has told me that your destination has a different currency system than ours. The rupee will not serve your purposes, so she has given me the power to convert your monetary earnings. Now what were her words again… ah yes." He spoke briefly in Hylian, and the rupee pouch at Link's side began to glow a brilliant green. Finishing the chant, the guardian spirit smiled at Link. "It is done. When you enter the land which you are destined to help save, the rupees in your satchel will be changed into the gold coins you will require. According to Farore, each of our rupees is of equal value of three of their coins."

Link almost fell off the lily pad. "You're telling me I have over 7,500 coins in here?!"

Makar laughed. "If the math adds up, yes you do. You should be able to hold up to 15,000 coins." Link was floored. Even after the two Great Fairies increased the sizes of his rupee pouch, he never imagined holding that much cash at once.

"The other guardian spirits are probably right outside waiting for you. I advise you see Hollo for some potions before you leave." The Great Deku Tree smiled somewhat sadly at the Hero before him. "Good luck, Hero of Winds."

Filling all but one of his bottles with blue potion, Link left the Forest Haven and saw the sky spirit Valoo waiting by his boat. As he approached, the waters rose and divided, revealing the large fish-like deity Jabun. The first thing he did was toss a triangular pendent to the approaching hero.

As soon as he put it on, Link felt a bit weird. "What the…?"

"**So… can you understand our speech now, young one?**" Link jumped, amazed that he could understand the words Valoo had just spoken. The dragon, obviously pleased, laughed heartily. "**Excellent. We were hoping to be able to speak with you without an interpreter for a change.**"

The water spirit smiled widely, the lantern hanging off of his head jingling at the movement. "**As you may have already guessed, the Goddess Nayru has spoken to me of your quest as well. You have already learned some of the details of the mission from Valoo, and you have received the monetary support you need from the Deku Tree. Now I offer you this.**" The giant fish tossed a small ring toward the boy, who caught it easily. He noticed there were three small, triangular jewels set into the ring, arranged just like the Triforce. They appeared to be a ruby, a sapphire and an emerald. "**Because you are from the realm of the Triforce, you will not be able to harness the Elements like the others in your party will. However, using this ring, you may be able to call upon the Goddess's magic. Focus on the ruby to harness Din's Fire. The emerald will provide the teleportation magic of Farore's Wind. Finally, the sapphire will allow you the protective shielding of Nayru's Love.**"

Link looked questioningly at the ring, feeling a sense of recognition at the names. "Aren't those the same spells Tetra used to save me in the forest?"

"**Yes, they are. However, Din has informed me that you will not be able to harness their power in the other realm without energy from the Chaos Elements there. You will require two elements to activate each power, and an element used for one will not work with another. The first two will unlock Din's Fire. The second pair will grant Farore's Wind. Once you have six, Nayru's Love will be at your service.**"

The Hero of Winds couldn't help feeling a little disappointed as Valoo explained the limitations. "So I can't use them until we've collected two, four and six elements? That stinks."

Jabun nodded, sending a rather large wave into the shore. "**I'm afraid that is the will of the Gods of both realms. However, you will be pleased to know that Zephos and Cyclos control the winds in the other realm as well. The Wind Waker will retain its abilities while you are there.**" Link smiled, a small sense of relief arising from that news. "**Now we must depart. I suggest you visit your family quickly before you leave. The portal leading to the realm will open at the Tower of the Gods when you arrive there. Good luck, young Hero.**" At that, the deity dove underwater again, and Valoo took off again, probably back to Dragon Roost.

Link took another look at his ring, and sighed. "It always has to get more complicated…" Boarding the King of Red Lions, he set off for Outset Island, confusion still present in his mind.

**__**

End Chapter 6

RCM- Link's Grandma probably won't be overly thrilled to hear Link is going off to who-knows-where again. And how will Aryll take the news? You'll have to wait until Chapter 8 to find out. In the meantime, I have some… business to take care of in the Temple where we left Lance and the others… (snaps fingers, and vanishes)


	7. The Trials of the Chaos Mage

Tetra- Sorry, the Red Chaos Mage is busy, so I was given the job of disclaimer duty while he's away. He doesn't own Zelda, the other recognizable video game concepts, or anything else of value to the big name people. Enjoy the next part of the story.

**__**

Chapter 7

The Trials of the Chaos Mage

"Lance, that was not called for and you know it." Graham scolded as he helped Hugh off the floor.

"Hey, he asked how we opened Anri's, I showed him."

"I can see that, but you didn't need to throw him into the statue. You're both hurt, and that did little to help you!"

"Actually…" a new voice called their attention. Floating next to an elated Anri was her freed brother "Anri and I both have healing powers. We can patch you up as our thanks." The yellow fairy flew over to Hugh and started chanting softly. Anri followed suit on Lance. The two swordsmen immediately began feeling better, their wounds healing. "There. All done."

Hugh flexed his shoulder, thankful that the cramp there was finally gone. "Nice job, kid."

"Thanks. I like to practice magic, so helping you helps me learn." The fairy gave Anri a confused look as she tapped his shoulder.

"Aren't you forgetting something? You know, like those _manners_ Master has been trying to teach you?"

His yellow glow took a more orange tint as the fairy blushed furiously. "Oh man, I totally forgot. My name is Solaris, but my friends call me Sol."

"You have friends?" Anri giggled with a wink. Lance couldn't help laughing.

"Oh, ha, ha. Very funny… Hey… Where _is_ Master, anyway?"

Anri's red glow paled fast as she realized the only place he could be. "Oh no… the Shrine! We have to hurry!" She began to race toward the door, but Sol flew in front of her.

"Wait. I might be able to use the teleportation spell Master taught me to bring us right to him." Before Anri could finish objecting, the younger fairy cast the spell. The room seemed to shimmer, then everything vanished. Opening their eyes again, the group found themselves deeper in the temple, but not exactly where they wanted. "Uh… oops."

"Solaris, you dolt!" A grunt of surprise came from the large, imposing figure on the other side of the room. "This is where we sealed the Fire Knight!"

Lance and Hugh readied their weapons, knowing a fight was imminent. The enemy stood about eight feet high, boasted heavy-duty armor, and wielded a large, flaming sword in its oversized fist. "Hey Hugh… First one to beat it gets a pint from the loser. Deal?"

"You're on." The pair share a sideways smirk, then charge the oncoming swordsman. Lance had the bad luck of approaching from the side with the weapon, which he quickly resented as the blade knocked him a good ten feet away, the sword's flames licking at his cloak. Hugh, on the other hand, managed to strike a blow. "Oh give me a break!" His sword bounced harmlessly off of the thick shielding and, to his horror, out of his hand.

"Hugh!" Lance lifted himself off of the floor just in time to see his rival backhanded into the wall. '_Argh… if Hugh's sword can't scratch that thing, neither can mine… Great…_' Breaking into a run, Lance leapt to the wall, kicked off it and bounced hard off of the soldier's helmet. To his surprise, the action spun the helmet around so that the visor was facing the wrong way. "Cool! He can't see!"

"Not so fast, pretty boy!" Hugh reclaimed his weapon and thrust it into the leather straps on the armor's back. As predicted, the pieces clattered to the floor, unable to stay in place without the bindings. "Let's try this again, shall we?" Hugh performed a backward flip, launched off of the wall behind him and made a neat upward slash. At the same time, Lance rebounded off of the opposite wall, using a downward slash. The blows landed together, converging into one. With a cry of rage, the Fire Knight sent them both flying with a final slash of his sword before splitting in half. Like every other demon before it, the pieces evaporated. Shaking his head to clear the haze, Hugh dusted himself off and pulled Lance to his feet.

"Check."

"Mate." The pair clasped arms, aware of how their teamwork had done the job quickly. "Why don't we call that a draw?"

"Works for me."

Graham emerged from an alcove on the far side of the room. In his arms were a shining metal shield and a pair of grappling hooks. "Look what our friend had stashed away in the back."

Hugh looked with interest at the merchandise. "Lance, why don't you take the shield. You always were better with defensive skills."

The blonde's eyes widened. "Am I hearing this? Hugh Connor conceding that he's not the best at everything? Who are you, and what have you done with the real Hugh?"

Laughing, Hugh socked him over the head. "Alright, blondie, you want the truth? You need it so I don't school you with my offensive mastery."

"Now that's more like it! And your sword skills aren't the only things offensive here. What the hell did you eat?!" Grabbing the shield from his amused teacher, Lance blocked Hugh's backhand, laughing as the attacker winced from the blow. "Hey Sol, wanna give it another shot?"

The yellow fairy brightened. "It'll be my pleasure."

"Focus carefully this time." Anri chided. Again the room shimmered, and the group found themselves in front of a large stone door. "Wow, you did it!" The fairies flew up to the door, which seemed to open as if sensing their presence.

The room before them was the deepest chamber in the temple. In the center stood a figure in a fiery red robe facing away from them. Beyond him hovered a monstrosity neither Lance, Hugh, nor even Graham could believe. Another knight, clad in fearsome blue spiked armor, riding what appeared to be a skeletal dragon, was directing a stream of black flame at the hooded figure. "Give it up, Mage. You cannot hope to protect the Seal forever!"

The mage continued to block the attack with a fire stream of his own. "Perhaps, but should I fail…" He glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of Lance and the glowing pendant around his neck. "The Chosen Ones shall succeed in our stead!" The defensive red flame seemed to fizzle, and the mage took the hit hard on his left side.

"Master!!!" the two fairies raced to the mage's side, Anri immediately starting to heal him, Sol using his magic to teleport them out of the room.

As he watched the red form shimmer out of sight, Graham realized who the figure had to be. His sense of duty raising in him, he drew his sword and stepped forward. "Come on, boys. We have found our target."

The knight laughed as he finally noticed the old man. "You? You're the one the Gods sent to protect the shards?" He raised his hand, revealing a sparkling red gem. "You are too late. The Element of Fire is as good as destroyed! There is no time for games… Begone!" The dragon opened its jaws again and spewed forth another jet of black flame.

"No!" Lance and Hugh watched in horror as their master, mentor, and friend was struck with the full force of the attack, flying into the wall engulfed in dark flames. Thoroughly enraged by the sight, the pair charged forward.

"Hm? More pests? Fine then, if you wish to die as well…" The knight's taunt fell on deaf ears as Hugh grabbed Lance's arm and flung him up towards the hovering menace. "Dark Flame!" The dragon again opened its gaping jaws and expelled the flame, but Lance's shield, conveniently held in front of him as he flew, deflected the blast.

"Take this!" Lance's swipe cut the dragon's head clean off, but as he landed, Hugh's gasp of shock told him something wasn't right. Looking up, he saw the detached head floating around briefly before reattaching itself to its body. "Aw, that's just wrong!"

"That's disgusting…" Hugh agreed.

The knight laughed maniacally, blasting the two with lightning from the blood red lance in his hand. "You fools! You can't kill my Dragon Zombie! As long as I control its power, it can never die!"

Hugh's eyes lit up as he heard that. "Lance! I have an idea! Distract the dragon for me!" With a brief questioning look, Lance charged the flying beast, which had dropped altitude in order to try eating the warriors. The burns from the knight's lightning attack stung like hell, but he trusted Hugh's judgment enough to let him try his idea. As he led the dragon to the left, Hugh aimed and threw a grappling hook at the knight.

"What?!" The knight exclaimed as the hook latched onto his jagged armor. "What do you think you're doing, boy?!"

"Simple!" Hugh pulled hard on the rope, sending the rider crashing to the ground. "I'm fishing! Hey Lance!"

Skidding to a halt, the blonde warrior somersaulted under the dragon's gaping jaws, racing towards the fallen rider. "Ready Hugh?"

"Hell yeah!" The pair closed in on the dazed Dragon Knight, and with charging slashes, cut him to pieces.

"ARGH!!! Impossible! Me… beaten by… by _CHILDREN_?!" The knight's legs exploded into a red smoke cloud. "You haven't won anything! Even though I failed, Chaos will rise again!" The midsection went up, leaving only the torso. "You will all die!"

"Hey, helmet head." Lance thrust his sword into the center of the helmet, causing it to go up in smoke like the rest of the beast. "Shut the hell up." Looking at the dragon, Lance started to feel sick. Without the knight to keep it alive, the dragon was decomposing fast. "Oh come on, cut us some freakin' slack here!" The skeletal remains clattered to the floor, where they too evaporated.

Hugh reached down and picked up the glowing red crystal. "Well… we have one shard…" A groan snapped him and Lance back to the tragic fate of Graham. "Master!"

They ran over to him, Lance lifting him into a sort of sitting position. "Lance… Hugh… You have done well, my sons…" He coughed up some blood as he spoke. "I… am sorry… I was too old for this… I will die soon, and you will have to face your destiny… without me…"

"No Master, don't. Save your strength. We'll find the fairies, they can heal you."

Hugh put a hand on Lance's shoulder. "Lance, I'm not sure he wants to be saved…"

Nodding at Hugh's comment, Graham weakly presented his treasured sword to Lance. "Your blade is damaged…" Confused, Lance looked at the sword he left on the ground where the Dragon Knight fell, noticing the burns and rust caused by the corrosive blood of the dragon. "My sword was forged in the continent to the east. The dwarves of Gohdan… they perfect the metal so that only the most powerful of magic can break them… please take care… of it…" Coughing again, he laid his eyes on the pendant Lance wore. A satisfied smile crossed his face as he relaxed. "Fare… well… Heroes…" The swordsman's last breath escaped him, and he lay back, lifeless.

"Your friend was an honorable man." Whirling around, the pair came face to face with the mage, Anri and Sol floating by his shoulders. "Do not fear, I will make sure he is buried with the greatest dignity and respect this region has to offer."

Lance cautiously stepped forward. "Who are you?"

The figure smiled. "I am the Chaos Mage of Fire. I was charged by the Gods to protect the shrine where the essence of fire slept for so many centuries… though it seems my power is not enough… You must secure the remaining temples where my four brothers reside. They will surely aid you.

"As for me, you have proven yourselves to be quite the admirable swordsmen. You already know that the jewel you hold contains the power of fire within it. I can help you harness that element."

Hugh looked at the gem in his hand. "Harness the Chaos Element of Fire? How?"

The Red Chaos Mage took the crystal from Hugh, the shining gem glowing brighter in his hand. "The powers the element bestows vary from user to user, but in your case, it will come in the form of sword maneuvers that command the chaos power of flame. Chaos Control Techniques, if you will."

Lance held his sword out for the mage. "Please, teach us."

Laughing, the mage pushed the sword back. "That is not necessary. All that is required is this…" The wizard lay his palm on the warrior's forehead, and the boy's eyes flashed red. He could feel the information rushing into his brain, and he knew exactly what to do in order to use the power. "Now, Lance. Try it."

Stepping back, Lance focused his energy into the blade at his side. He then brought the sword up in a grand upward arc. As the arc grew, fire enveloped the blade and rose a good five feet above the tip of the blade, as if the flames were flung upwards by the attack. "Cool."

"That technique is called the Flare Blade. The Chaos energy channels into your sword and blazes forth in the upward angle you just witnessed." Turning to Hugh, he lay his hand on the warrior's head again, and the transfer was complete. "Now you."

Hugh also stepped back, holding his sword out behind him. After focusing for a moment, he spun forward, creating a ring of fire around him. "Impressive."

"For obvious reasons, that move is called the Fire Spin. The energy extends in a similar fashion as the Flare Blade's, but this technique can have a more damaging range. Either maneuver has the capability of providing you with an aerial boost if you use them in midair."

"Huh?"

Sol laughed, "Think of it as a sort of double-jump."

Putting away their weapons, both warriors bowed respectfully to the Chaos Mage. "Here." He said to Lance, "The Fire Shard. You will need it later." As Lance touched it, both the crystal and his amulet glowed brightly. With a flash, the gem vanished. "Hmm… I see…"

"What? Where'd it…?"

The mage grasped the medallion, gently fingering where the red crystal shard now rested. "You have the Dragon Pendant… Every shard you collect will be kept in its magic ring until the prophecy comes to pass… It will also provide the Chaos energy you will need to execute the Control techniques."

Lifting his eyes from the charm, Lance smiled. "Thank you so much for all you have taught us. We will always remember…"

Anri floated over to the pendant. "One more thing." Closing her eyes, she started to chant softly, her red glow intensifying. With a flash, she cast a spell on the medallion, the dragon inscribed on it shifting to show a pair of magnificent wings. "There. Now you will be able to read all of the ancient scriptures on the temple walls. It'll even work in Gohdan and Makai."

Seemingly satisfied, the mage raised his hand to the boys. "You have remained here for too long, young heroes. You must now depart and seek out my brothers. I believe the nearest temple is the Ice Tower in the northeast, far beyond the mountains. The Chaos Mage of Weather should be waiting there. Now, I shall bring you back to town." As the mage's hand began to glow, a vortex opened beneath the boys, quickly pulling them in. Next thing they knew, they were in the dirt in front of Lance's house. As the portal closed, they heard the voice of the Red Chaos Mage echoing through to them. "Seek out the elf called Elric. He will guide you and another destined through the Jarai forest. I bid thee, good knights, farewell."

**__**

End Chapter 7

Sol- Those two were fun to hang around with.

Anri- Yes, they were. Master, how long until they meet up with Link?

RCM- They will cross paths in two chapters. In the meantime, we will clean up the mess that Dragon Knight left in the Crystal Shrine and have Graham buried like we promised.

Sol- Okay. We hope you enjoyed our adventure in the temple.

Anri- If you readers would be so kind, please review on your way out. We would appreciate it very much.

RCM- Until next update, farewell.


	8. A Family's Farewell

Sol- This is almost insulting! Miss Aria's the only one reviewing!

Anri- Sol, calm down. Other people will make comments eventually. All we have to do is be patient. Besides, it sounds like you're not thankful she IS reviewing.

Sol- I am, it's just…

RCM- Sol has been less than thrilled with the number of reviews we've received. I am of the mindset of my eldest fairy child, that patience will bring more reviewers. In the meantime, we will now witness Link's transfer into the new world… the realm of Chaos! Sol, if you would?

Sol- Master doesn't own any of the video game characters, concepts, or other similar stuff. Enjoy!

**__**

Chapter 8

A Family's Farewell

Pulling up to the shore of Outset Island, Link couldn't help but feel peacefulness wash over him. He was home again, and that brought comfort, no matter how fleeting it would be. Watching from the dock, he could see the boys playing with their giant pet pig, Sue-Belle carrying her usual jar of water down from the well, and looking toward the watchtower, his little sister Aryll racing toward him. "Big brother!"

Laughing, he caught the running little girl in his arms and lifted her into a twirling hug. "How have you been, Aryll?"

"I've been great! I made about 10 new sets of clothes I want you to see, and even a set for you! And Grandma taught me how to make her famous soup too, and now I can almost make it as good as hers. It's kinda the wrong color though…"

The two walked over to their home, overlooking the water by the coast. "Well, what color is it?"

Aryll blushed slightly. "Instead of normal gold, it's kinda… well, you'll see. I was cooking some earlier today." She opened the door and ushered her older brother in hurriedly. "Grandma! Link's home!"

The little old woman rose from her rocking chair and embraced the boy. "My, you sure have grown since you left with that Tetra girl, Link. How are you?"

Link's smile couldn't have been wider. "I've been great Grandma. Aryll's been telling me you taught her how to cook your famous soup."

The woman laughed. "Ah, yes. The little one is growing up so fast… Some of her soup is still warm in the pot, if you would like to try some." Seeing his nod, she scooped some into a bowl and handed it to him. "As you can see, she still needs a little work perfecting the recipe." Instead of the warm gold of Grandma's Elixir Soup, Aryll's was a cool silver.

"Well, it may not look like Grandma's, but it still smells good." He took a sip and nearly fell off the chair. "Whoa! Aryll, this tastes great!" The little girl jumped up and down excitedly, happy her brother liked her creation. "A bit stronger than what I'm used to, but… wow!"

Grandma sat down in her rocking chair again, watching her grandchildren enjoy their dinner. As soon as they finished, they both sat down next to the fire. "So Link, what brings you here? Something tells me you won't be staying here for long."

The joy slowly fell from Link's face, remembering the reason why he came. "Grandma… Aryll… I have to go away again… But this time it's outside of the Rito post system…"

Aryll looked at her brother in confusion. "What do you mean? The Rito Postmen visit all of the islands in the Great Sea."

Link smiled sadly at her. "That's the thing… I'm not going to be anywhere NEAR the Great Sea… I'm being called to another realm… another world… I'm being sent there by the Gods themselves."

Grandma rose again, albeit a little slower this time, and fetched a pair of bottles from the cupboard. "I am glad you came to tell us in person, Link. I would have hated you disappearing without a trace and not hearing anything for such a long time…"

The young Hero of Winds pulled the Gossip Stone out of his pocket. "I'll be keeping in touch with Tetra using this stone's magic. She'll keep you up to date with what I'm doing." A scream followed by a large splash stopped him in mid-sentence. Rushing outside, he saw the wet, and seemingly agitated, form of Valoo sitting in the surf. Sue-Belle had been the source of the scream, her jar of water lying forgotten on the ground.

"Sue-Belle, relax. It's okay. He's a friend of mine. Valoo, what are you doing here?"

Grandma leaned against the railing for a better look. "Amazing. Truly amazing. I had no idea he was so big."

"**Link, Din has given me a gift for you as well. Show me your Gossip Stone.**" The boy complied, and the dragon breathed a stream of blue fire into the stone. "**As it was, the Gossip Stone's magic would not have spanned the realms. With Din's blessing, that limitation has been eliminated. Now, if you are done here, you must hurry to the Tower of the Gods.**" The dragon shook his head vigorously in an attempt to shake off the water, but only managed to splash more onto himself. Giving up, the guardian spirit flapped his wings and headed toward the Tower.

With a sigh, Link turned to his family. "I have to follow him. It's time for me to go."

"Wait a sec." Aryll ran inside for a few minutes and came out holding three bottles. Two were filled to the brim with Grandma's Elixir Soup, and the third with her concoction. "Take these with you."

Embracing in a group hug, the family parted. Sue-Belle had regained her composure as well, though she was still clearly shaken at the dragon's sudden appearance. As Link boarded the King of Red Lions again, he looked one last time at his home, where Aryll and Grandma watched. Sighing, he lifted the Wind Waker and conducted the Ballad of Gales. The cyclone rose around him, quickly whisking him away to the Tower of the Gods. "Be careful, Link…"

As the twister set the red boat down, Valoo and Jabun each called out to the Goddesses. "**He is ready.**" With a mighty crash of thunder, the clouds parted. Looking up, Link could see three figures nodding to each other, then raise their hands toward the boy.

"Whoa, what's… happening?!" Another cyclone began lifting Link off of the boat. The winds carrying him were laced with bluish-white energy, the strands growing larger as the twister grew. Soon, Link's field of vision was completely covered in the energy flowing around him. Then in a flash of blue light, he found himself on his face in the dirt. "Ow… there's got to be an easier way to travel…"

Looking around, he saw that he was no longer in the Great Sea. He sat in the middle of what looked like a dirt road, leading to a town in the distance. To his right rose a grand mountain range, unlike anything he'd ever seen. As he rose to his feet, he heard a voice calling to him across the void. "_Young Hero of Winds… Din, Nayru and I have successfully sent you to the Realm of Chaos… Though we cannot help you any further from our realm, we will continue to watch over you and those you care for. Be careful in this place, and let your courage guide you. Good luck, my Chosen One…_"

"Farore…" Link had a hard time believing that the Goddess of Courage had just spoken to him directly, but considering what had happened moments before that, he quickly accepted it. "I guess the only thing I can do is go into town and see what I can find out…"

**__**

End Chapter 8

RCM- He has finally arrived…

Sol- Master, we're almost ready.

RCM- Excellent. Once I add the finishing touch, bring it to the Heroes. They should be leaving town shortly.

Sol- Yes sir.

RCM- The paths of the Chosen shall converge very shortly… 


	9. Lanstar's Archer Convention

Anri- I knew Sol was being too hasty. Just like we predicted, there's a new reviewer.

RCM- Yes, Anri, I read it. He does bring up some valid points as well.

Anri- Oh?

RCM- I admit, character naming has always been a weakness. That and titles.

Anri- Well, from here, we can make the names of the creatures more interesting, right?

RCM- Perhaps… but until they meet the next Mage, the party will have no way of knowing what those names are.

Anri- I may have an idea about how to solve that problem. In the meantime, shouldn't we get started?

RCM- Yes. In this chapter, Lance and Hugh meet up with two new party members, one of which we had been following for some time…

Anri- We don't own video game material, so with that said, we hope you enjoy.

**__**

Chapter 9

Lanstar's Archer Convention

"I still can't believe Graham didn't make it." Lance said as he kicked a rock down the dirt road. The morning sun was rising, shining brightly over the Talon Peaks, where their former mentor now lay.

"Oh grow up, Aran! There's nothing either of us could've done!" Hugh wouldn't admit it, but he was just as distraught as his partner. "He wanted us to stop Chaos, and we will. All we have to do is keep going and get the rest of the shards."

"Yeah… what was the name of that elf again? El… something?"

"Elric."

The two stopped dead in their tracks. "Uh… Hugh? Who said that?"

A yellow fairy flew around them once before stopping to face them. "I did."

"Solaris? What are you doing here?"

The fairy let out a small sigh. "Please, it's Sol. Only Master calls me Solaris, and that's when I'm in trouble. I'm here to give you one last gift from Master." The fairy flew up to Hugh and dropped a compact red orb into his hands.

"What's that?" Lance asked, leaning over to get a better look. As he did, his pendant began to glow faintly.

"That is a little bit of Master's power, so that when you meet your allies, they can learn Fire Chaos moves like you did." Sol smiled brightly. "There's even one that can learn Fire Spells!"

Hugh, the eternal cynic, raised an eyebrow at the fairy. "Spells?"

"Yeah. You remember Master saying that the Control Techniques vary from user to user, right? Well, most Chaos moves channel through the weapons of the user. A very few can be concentrated without them."

Lance looked at his sword. "So what does that mean? Will we be able to learn Control moves that don't need our blades?"

The smile on Sol's face shifted a little, showing the pity he felt. "I'm sorry, but the way that one Chaos move is learned will be the way almost all of them will be. It's just how fate has decided the matter." His face brightened again. "I can tell you this. The one who was destined to be the Spellcaster in your party was foreseen by Master to be a girl. The rest of you will be harnessing the powers through the tools you use."

"Thanks Sol. We'll keep our eyes peeled."

"Sure. See ya." He began flying away, but hesitated. "Oh, one more thing. I heard Anri mention that Elric was an archer. Hopefully that will help you find him. Good luck."

As the fairy disappeared, Hugh turned to Lance. "I think the annual Archer's Convention is being held in Lanstar for the next few days. If we hurry, we can get there before nightfall."

"Let's get moving." The young blonde was familiar with the nearby town of Lanstar, as his mother often visited the large shopping center there. The journey was pretty uneventful, save for a brief encounter with a trio of slimy ChuChus. After roasting them with a Fire Spin, the pair entered the town. "Archer's Convention? This looks more like a festival to me."

Lance's assessment wasn't far off. The convention brought together hunters and sharpshooters from all regions to exchange stories, play games, and compete for the title of Marksman of the Year. It was quite the celebration. "Come on, let's see if we can find this Elric guy."

"What? Now? Can't we take a break first? We've been walking all day."

Hugh sighed. "Fine… but only if you face me in a round of darts, Mr. Aran." The grin on Lance's face was mirrored with one of his own. Each boy had learned how to play through his father, and as with everything else, yearned to prove himself superior to his best friend. As it stood, Lance was leading the ongoing competition by one game. As they entered the tavern, they spotted a young boy sitting at the bar, looking around as if he didn't know where he was. "Hey, stranger. Looking for someone?"

The boy, clad in green, seemed startled by Hugh's question, but shook his head. "Not really, I'm… new around here. I'm just trying to get my bearings."

Lance took a seat next to the young traveler, waving over the bartender. "Well, maybe we can help. I know this town pretty well, so… Hi, an Ale please, and a double for him."

Hugh gave his blonde counterpart a weak punch to the shoulder. "I can order for myself, knucklehead." Turning to the bartender, he paused as if in thought, then declared "I'll have a double!" The boy in green laughed at his new company, feeling more comfortable now that he had met some potential guides. "So what brings you here, kid? You look a bit young to be a competing archer."

The young boy shifted in his seat. "Well, to be honest, I'm looking for some people, but I don't know who exactly. I've been told they are collecting… oh, what did Valoo call them… something Chaos…?" He noticed the two boys stiffen. "I take it you know what I'm talking about."

Hugh pulled Lance out of his seat to confer quietly with him about this development. "He knows about our mission. You think this is Elric?"

"No, he can't be. Sol said he would be an archer. This kid has a sword, and besides, he's not an elf."

"Well, why else would he be looking for us?"

"Didn't the Mage say Elric would lead us _and_ another destined through the forest?"

"You think this kid's it? He looks a little young for that."

"I don't know. You have any better ideas?" After Hugh shook his head no, Lance turned back to the waiting boy. "Alright, you say you were looking for the ones collecting something regarding Chaos, right? Would those things happen to be called Chaos Elements?"

Recognition lit up the youth's face. "Yes, that's exactly what Valoo called them."

Hugh leaned against the bar, his eyes still examining the newcomer. "Well, you can consider your search over. We're the ones collecting the shards."

"Thank the Goddesses I found you so fast. My name is Link. I've been sent by the Goddesses to help you… uh, what were your names?"

Lance seemed to accept the explanation, brief as it was, and extended his hand. "I'm Lance Aran, and this is Hugh Connor. We just started looking for the Element shards yesterday. If…" An explosion outside cut him off instantly.

Hugh drew his sword. "Here we go again… Lance, you coming?"

"Of course!" Lance followed Hugh out of the door, unaware that Link was tailing behind as well. It didn't take long to isolate the source of the blast, as Hugh was quickly sent flying by a black lightning bolt. The source was another demon, this one in the form of a large, winged skeleton. Firing off another blast from its twin horns, it closed in on the heroes. As Lance prepared to counter with a Flare Blade burst, a sudden gust of wind from behind him disrupted the beast's balance, sending it crashing to the ground. Turning, Lance saw Link holding a large green leaf, sparkling with magical energy. "Nice trick, kid!"

The young Hero of Winds ignored the compliment, instead pointing behind Lance. "Look out!" The creature, having recovered from its fall, quickly came up behind the blonde and prepared to take off his head with a swipe of its clawed arm. Luckily, it never got the chance. Without warning, an iron arrow slammed into the demon's neck, spinning it around. As it roared in rage, four more of the projectiles lodged into its chest. The attacking elf loaded one more and, with careful aim, let it fly. The bolt impacted right between the monster's eyes, and it blew apart into a cloud of blue smoke.

"You should be more alert to what your opponents are doing, warrior." The elf said with a small bow. "You could've been killed quite easily."

Sheathing his blade, Lance just shrugged. "Maybe. Thanks for your help though."

"It was my pleasure. I am Elric. And you are?"

Hugh, who had finally dug himself out of the haystack he was thrown into, chuckled softly to himself. "And here I thought finding this guy would be hard."

After the introductions concluded, the four returned to the tavern. Sitting down at a table, Elric begins the conversation by asking, "So why were you looking for me?"

"Well, after Hugh and I received the Chaos Element of Fire, the guardian Mage said…" Lance was cut off by Elric's gasp.

"Wait! You have one of the Chaos Crystal Shards?!" He nearly fell out of his chair as Lance showed him the red gem emblazoned with the symbol of fire, still residing in his pendant. "The legends must be coming to pass… The King of my homeland has spoken to me about the shards. He told me that the destiny of the world lay on the shoulders of seven warriors: two humans, two elves, a dwarf and two he could not see."

Hugh thoughtfully took a sip from his drink before asking, "So if Lance and I are the humans, and you are one of the elves, then what does that make Link? He is clearly involved in this, but he doesn't fit in with what you were told… unless he is one of the two your King couldn't see."

Lance nodded. "That may make sense. Link, you never told us the details of your story. Would you mind filling us in now?"

The Hero of Winds smiled. "Sure. I wouldn't be surprised if I was one of the 'unseen ones' since I'm not even from this realm. Three Goddesses sent me here because both realms are history if you fail. My best guess is that my job is to help keep that from happening."

"But you are only a child." Elric pointed out.

"I may only be 14, but I've already saved the world I know twice. It's how I got my title as the Hero of Winds. Oh, and as to the race thing, my best guess is that I'm a descendant of the Hylians." The others nodded as they absorbed what they heard. "If you want, I can tell you some of the adventures I've had so far."

The positive responses came quickly, as each was curious to hear the exploits of the young 'Hylian' boy. Not surprisingly, the exchange of tales lasted well into the night, until the bartender sent them on their way to the inn. As the morning sun shone through the windows hours later, the four had already risen and went about their business. Link sat on the edge of the roof, sketching the layout of the town to show Tetra when he finally got to return home. As Elric went off to compete in the archery competition, Lance and Hugh proceeded back to the tavern to have their darts match. By noon, the artist and the archer entered to find the boys from Nidero in the middle of a very animated disagreement.

"You did not! That throw was way off!"

"Oh, please! I nailed that bulls-eye!"

"Then where's the freakin' dart?! I don't see a freakin' dart!"

"It's in your hand, you lying sonuva…"

"Oh, so now _I'M_ cheating?!"

"Yeah! I beat you again, fair and…"

"Bullshit! I won and you know it!"

"Yeah, you won the Loser of the Year Award!"

"I'll show you…" Hugh was about to take a swing at Lance, but Elric quickly restrained him. The elf was clearly annoyed.

"Alright, which of you is going to calm down enough to tell us what is going on here?"

The two roared in unison. "He's cheating!"

Link recoiled from the volume. Turning to the bartender, he asked "How much did they have?!"

The keeper shrugged, cleaning an empty mug. "About four for the blonde, six and a double for the other one." Link could only blink in disbelief before holding his head in his hands.

Elric roughly shoved Hugh into a chair, motioning Link to do the same with Lance. "These are the two humans destined to stop Chaos? Reduced to drunken bickering after only a day?! This is embarrassing!"

Link pulled out two bottles of blue potion. "Here. This ought to sober them up quick."

After briefly examining the blue substance before them, the pair downed the liquid. Though the haze clouding his vision was quickly dispelled, Lance had to fight down the urge to throw up. "Ugh… what is this stuff?"

"Standard blue potion… Tastes bad, but it instantly restores health and magic power. Judging from your eyes, it works just as well here as it does at home."

Standing up, Lance shook off the last of his drunkenness. Slamming the mug he had used back on the bar and pushing it away, he stated plainly "Now I know why Mom never let me drink more than one…" That got a light laugh out of everyone, with the exception of Hugh.

"Alright… alright, I'll admit it… I did take the damn dart. You won the match."

Lance laid his hand on Hugh's shoulder. "And we should care because…?" His serious look fell into a smile. "Forget about it. We were drunk, and things got out of hand. We'll call that match a draw and leave it at that. Deal?"

Hugh smirked, raising the empty potion bottle. "I'll drink to that." The other three promptly rose and walked out. "Aw, come on guys! I was kidding!"

**__**

End Chapter 9

RCM- I trust that bad experience will keep their intake to a minimum… Such foolishness has its consequences, even though it can lend to humor at times.

Anri- Master, Sol is doing something a bit drastic.

RCM- What do you mean?

Anri- He's trying to cast a spell to summon more reviewers.

RCM- (sigh) Solaris, what am I going to do with you? Excuse me, I must stop Sol before he makes a fool of himself.

Anri- Again.

RCM- Anarina, don't make me discipline you as well.

Anri- I'm sorry.

RCM- Please review so that the little one will stop this nonsense. I will provide the next chapter as soon as it is finished. Farewell.


	10. Woodland Wonders

RCM- Alright, is everything ready?

Sol- Yes sir.

Anri- We're all set.

RCM- Good. Anri, I have another job for you.

Anri- Go ahead, Master.

RCM- It's Aria. Help her again. Go. Now.

Anri- Gone (flies away)

RCM- It's been kind of hectic over here. Sol's little spell summoned something, but due to the fact it's a major part of the storyline later, I can't tell you exactly what.

Sol- I said I was sorry!

RCM- I know Sol, I know! We're in the process of containing it now.

Sol- It's coming up on the trap, Master.

RCM- Good. Keep an eye on it and activate the trap as soon as it enters. While we handle this, take a look at what Lance and the others get into as they make their way through Jarai Forest. As always, I don't own any of the video game material… Sol, NOW!

(a loud roar echoes from another room)

Sol- I think we got it! (loud crash) …oops.

RCM- SOLARIS! Oh, forget it! On with the story!

**__**

Chapter 10

Woodland Wonders

About an hour later, Elric was leading the group into the forest, his newly won quiver over his shoulder. Lance wasn't really surprised that the archer chosen by the Gods had won the contest, but even he had to admit that the elf's skill was truly amazing. As the canvass of trees above them started to block the sun, Elric warned "Alright guys. Try to stay relatively quiet. With the Chaos creatures roaming the lands, not even these sacred woods are safe." As soon as he finished, a Gremlin dove for his head from the treetops above. With a fluid motion, the elf loaded an arrow, set the tip aflame with Chaos energy, and shot the attacker through the heart. "See what I mean?" The fire torched the imp, its smoky remains vanishing quickly. "Thanks for the Fire Arrow Control move, by the way."

"Think nothing of it. You're one of the Chosen, so you're supposed to have the power. I still think Link should be able to harness a little."

The youngest team member waved it off. "My power comes from the Triforce, not from Chaos. I never was meant to be compatible with it. Besides, I told you I have enough tools at my disposal to handle myself fine, and the Goddesses will grant me my own magic when we get the more shards. Don't worry about it."

As the day wore on, he proved his words true. The various creatures attacking them fell to his boomerang, hookshot, Deku leaf and sword in a number of combinations. Along with the others and their Chaos attacks, they took out over a hundred monsters. "We'll be safe once we enter the gates of Toluin. It shouldn't be much longer."

"You're leading, Elric. Whatever you say." Lance's Flare Blade burnt through the wings of an attacking Mothula, causing the insect to fall to the ground. "The sooner the better."

Pulling out his bow, Link shot a Light Arrow at the fallen moth. "No kidding. I'm running out of arrows… hey, what's that?"

In the fading flash of the arrow's light, the outline of a wooden gate stood hidden beyond a short span of trees. "There! I told you it wouldn't be long." The elf led the weary travelers down the final stretch of the trail, calling out to the armed watchmen at the gate. "Hail! 'Tis Elric! I return with friends!"

"Hail, Sir Elric! Come and take refuge!" The guards, armed with both bow and sword, ushered the party inside the gate, where an older elf stood waiting.

"Welcome home, my friend." The younger archer bowed to the man the others realized was the Elf King.

"Sire, I bring the first of the Chaos Protectors. These are Lance and Hugh, humans of the town Nidero. And this boy is Link, hailing from a realm beyond our own."

The king smiled. "I bid you all the warmest of welcomes, dear warriors. This is the elfin kingdom of Toluin. I hope you will enjoy your stay. My name is Olivio Azriel Toluin III, King of this forest haven." Link felt himself smile at the king's choice of words. "You must be weary. My attendant will show you three to your rooms, where you may recover your strength. Tikal, would you come here please?"

A young blonde elf came out of a wooden house nearby. "Yes, your majesty?"

"If you would, show these three to the guest quarters." The girl bowed and gestured for Lance, Hugh and Link to follow her. "Elric, a word?"

As the king and Elric went toward the castle, the remaining three were led to a cluster of small houses. Each warrior was given one of them to use for the duration of their stay. After hanging his cloak up in his room, Lance went back outside. Tikal was sitting on a stump nearby, shifting through a packet of documents written on what looked like large leaves. "Hey."

The girl jumped, not expecting the guests to be out and about so soon. "Oh! Hi… I thought you would be resting like the other two."

"No, I'd rather look around to relax."

The elf smiled and stood up. "Well then, if you would like, I could show you around…" Lance returned the smile and followed her into the village.

In the second hut, Link unpacked his supplies, taking a quick inventory. "Let's see… Aryll's Telescope, the Wind Waker, Grappling Hook… Hmm, I must've left the sail on King… oh well. Picto Box, Iron Boots… hey, the Magic Armor spell Zunari gave me… I completely forgot I had this… let's see, what else…? Boomerang, bow with arrows, Hookshot, Deku Leaf… no Tingle Tuner?" The boy let out a small laugh. "No big loss. Okay, one blue potion left, both bottles of Grandma's soup, Aryll's soup, and the two empty bottles from the tavern fiasco… that's all six." A rumbling in his pocket interrupted his work. Knowing the source, Link smiled. "Hello, Tetra."

Pulling out the Pirate Charm from his pocket, the Hero of Winds sat down on the bed next to his things. "Good, I was afraid you wouldn't be able to hear me over there…" Tetra's voice rang clear from the shining green stone, relief evident in her tone. "How's it going?"

"Well, I've met three of the six you saw in your dream already. Two humans and an elf."

"An elf? Like a Kokiri?"

Link hesitated before answering. "Not really… if I remember, the Deku Tree told me once that the Kokiri never aged. These people clearly do, Elric looks to be about 20, and the King of Elves about twice that."

"Elric? Is that the elf's name?"

"Yep."

"How about the other two?"

"Hugh and Lance are okay, I guess, but they're real competitive with each other. Just this afternoon they got drunk and had a huge fight over a dart game. You'd think it was Gonzo and Senza going at it." The pirate laughed at her boyfriend's quip. "I'm also getting the feeling Hugh may have a bit of a temper."

Tetra absorbed that, but before she could respond, they both heard a knock outside her door. "Hold on, Link… This better be important! What do you want?"

Link could hear Gonzo's voice through the magical connection. "Excuse me, Miss, but Niko kinda fell overboard and is hanging by the seat of his pants off of one of the bomb guns." The Hero couldn't restrain his laughter at the mental image.

"Argh! That stupid little… I'm sorry Link, I have to take care of this. Be careful, okay?"

"You know me, don't worry."

"Yeah, I _do_ know you, and that's _exactly_ why I worry!"

Link had to laugh at that. "Seriously, I'll be careful. You'll hear from me again as soon as we get to the next town. Oh, and before I forget, can you do me a favor?"

Tetra seemed to be considering it. "Depends, what do I get in return?" Link rolled his eyes, knowing that she was kidding. She laughed again. "Of course I can. Anything for you."

"I want you to write Aryll a letter for me, let her know I'm still alright, what I'm up to. I'd do it myself, but…"

"Yeah, I know. I'll write it as soon as Niko's back onboard. Love you."

Sighing, Link kissed the stone. "I love you too, Tetra. Bye."

"Bye… Niko, what did you do this time?!" Link chuckled softly as the connection broke, and he proceeded with his inventory.

While that exchange was still underway, the elfin archer was sitting in the meeting hall of Toluin Castle. "You could not have come at a more opportune time, old friend. The Goblin King has finally made a move."

Elric leaned forward onto the table. "What would that move be, sire?"

"That cursed creature has found a way into the Forest Temple, and has taken control of it. As long as he remains there, the magic protecting our home will weaken until it fades altogether. When that happens, monsters will be able to overrun the barricades."

The archer looked out the window in thought. Through the trees, his sharp vision could barely make out the green sparkle of the magic barrier surrounding the kingdom. The mystical defense was powered by the priests living in the Forest Temple, the gates being the only way in or out. Without that protection… "How long do we have until the shield dies?"

"We cannot tell for certain, but at the current rate of decay, the most we have is 48 hours. I hate to have to ask so soon, but I need you and your friends to reclaim the Temple and seal off whatever route the Goblin King used to get in."

Elric nodded. "Aye, sire. I'll tell the others. Consider the mission accepted."

"Thank you, old friend…"

"Hey, we haven't been friends for 200 years just to have me quit on you now." The elf rose and placed his hand on the elder's shoulder. "Don't worry, my liege. I will protect our home."

The king smiled wearily. "Thank you, Elric. Get going." The archer quickly left, heading straight for the guesthouses. Link knew just from the look in his eyes that something was up, and immediately began gathering his things as the elf explained the situation. Together, they went to wake the sleeping Hugh. The human warrior was less than pleased.

"Elric…? What's the idea? I was dreamin' some quality…"

"There's no time, Hugh. We have to go. Have either of you seen Lance?"

"I'm right here." The group turned to see the boy enter, followed by Tikal. "She was showing me around. What's wrong?" After hearing Elric's story, Lance ran to his hut and threw on his cloak. "Okay, let's get us some goblin!"

"I can get us to the Temple quickly. Hold onto my hand." Tikal offered, extending her arms to the warriors. Lance took one, Elric the other, and the remaining two completed the circle. The young girl began to chant, some of the words sounding familiar to the humans. Just like when Sol cast the same spell in the Temple of Elders, the surroundings shimmered away, and the group stood before a relatively small shrine covered in moss.

Lance let go of Tikal's hand and gave her an intrigued look. "Hugh, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The look on the black haired boy was equally interested. "The destined spellcaster is a girl. Tikal's a spellcaster and a girl. I think she's the one."

"Excuse me?" The blonde took a step back, clearly confused by what they were suggesting. "You think I am one of the Seven Protectors? That can't be possible, I've only just begun studying magic six months ago…"

"We only started using swords three months ago, and we're still the Chosen."

"But I'm only 170 years old." Link almost fell over at that, clearly not expecting that number. "In the elf world I'm barely more than a child!"

"Relative to human aging, you would be equivalent to 17 years old." Elric laid his hand on her arm, trying to comfort the girl. "If I am not mistaken, that is how old these two are. And Link here is only 14. Age is not relevant, Tikal. Besides, the pieces seem to fit. We both know the prophecies say two elves will serve as Protectors. I am one of them, the archer. These two were told the spellcaster destined to join them was a female. You complete all of the criteria."

Link grabbed the group's attention with a blast from his Deku Leaf. "You know, we could discuss this after we finish our job here. The shield isn't getting any stronger."

Hugh nodded. "Link's right. Let's take out that trespasser."

**__**

End Chapter 10

RCM- That was rough… It took some time, but I finally sent the creature back to the Skull Woods where it belonged.

Sol- I'm sorry the spell didn't work, Master. I won't do that again.

RCM- Your apology is accepted, little one. Now go clean up the mess in the hallway.

Sol- Yes sir... (flies off)

RCM- (sigh) I know he means well… Poor child just needs to grow a little more. Anyways, the adventure is still far from over… How will Tikal realize her destiny is calling? You shall see soon enough. I thank all of you for your continued support, and will get started on the next chapter very shortly. Until then, friends, farewell.

Sol (from the hallway)- Master, how do I get the claw marks off the wall?


	11. Eviction Notice

Tiana- Hello? Anyone here? …Wow, whatever Sol summoned sure made a mess…

Sol- Tiana? Is that you?

Tiana- Hi Sol! Long time no see!

RCM- Hm? Oh, hello little one. Let me guess… Aria sent you.

Tiana- Yeah, since you sent Anri to help her, she sent me to return the favor.

RCM- Well, with all due respect, I don't think we will be needing it. (waves hand, and the damage repairs itself) I believe we have everything under control. However, you are welcome to stay for a while, should you desire.

Tiana- Yay! Can I do the disclaimer?

RCM- But of course.

Tiana- Red Chaos Mage does not own Zelda, other video game things or other material readers recognize.

RCM- It is now time for Tikal to realize her destiny, and the roast of the Goblin King to commence. Sol? Can you get something to drink for our guest?

Sol- You got it! (flies off. A few moments later, the sound of glass shattering is heard.) Uh oh.

RCM- (sigh) Probably nothing a little reconstructive magic can't fix. Come, Tiana. You can learn this spell too. Enjoy the next installment, friends.

**__**

Chapter 11

Eviction Notice

The second room of the Temple was something Link definitely wasn't expecting. "Well, nothing like familiarity…"

"What do you mean?"

"The layout." Link waved his arm around the circular room. "A sealed door on the far side, four others flanking it, each of those with an unlit torch above it… I've been to several places like this when I was looking for the Triforce of Courage I carry. We can proceed once the torches are lit."

Elric grinned. "No problem." He shot a Fire Arrow with perfect accuracy into the nearest torch. Nothing happened. "What?! But how…?"

The Hero of Winds stifled a laugh. "No, Elric. The way to light them is to slay the monsters behind the doors. Once all four rooms are cleared, the far door will unlock."

Hugh took a minute to analyze the situation. "Alright, there are four doors and five of us. I say we divide and conquer."

Panic flashed in Tikal's eyes. "Wait, whoa, hold on! Me? I can't handle a room full of monsters alone!"

Elric sighed. "You really should have more faith in your fellow elves. You think I'd let you go in alone? King Toluin would have my head." With that, he took her hand and led her through the first door on the left wall.

As it closed behind the pair, Hugh asked, "You think Elric was serious about the King's reaction."

"No, somehow I doubt it."

Link shrugged and headed toward the first door on the right. "Come on, let's get started." Crossing the threshold of the door, he left Lance and Hugh to choose how to split the last two rooms between them.

In room one, Elric stood with arrow ready. The nervous girl at his side held her staff tightly in her hands, ready to whack the first thing that moved. Iron bars already blocked their exit, so a fight had to be on its way. However, all that was in the room was a set of large clay jars arranged on the sandy floor in the center. "Elric, I don't like this…"

"You know a revealing spell, don't you?" She nodded. "Try using it." She blushed before closing her eyes and focusing her energy in a chant. As she opened them, her eyes took on a white glow. Pointing to the jars, she spoke.

"There are five goblins hiding in the jars. They're in those two, that one, the one in the center, and that red one by the edge of the sand. The rest are just full of arrows and some coins." Firing, quite literally, at where she directed, Elric shattered the pots, revealing the goblins as they erupted in the arrow's flame. Unfortunately, the one in the corner had the foresight to jump out of the jar as it shattered, avoiding the blazing bolt by mere centimeters. As it launched itself, sword drawn, at the alarmed Tikal, she extended her staff. "Hinder!"

With a flash, the goblin was wrapped in a ring of violet energy, dropping to the ground. The spellbinding circle had rendered the beast completely immobilized. Impressed, Elric finished the job. "And you thought you weren't that good of a mage. You cast a spell with only one word?"

Tikal's face reddened as the bars withdrew from the door. "I said the rest of the spell in my head." Walking back into the main hall, they saw the flame above the door ignite. "I guess Link knew what he was talking about…"

Speaking of whom, the Hero of Winds stood watching the two skeletons rise from the dirt in front of him. However, they weren't like the Stalfos monsters he was used to. "Wow… Chaos sure beefed up the Stalfos breed…" Instead of the oversized, unwieldy mace he usually saw the creatures carry, these two held large, rusted swords and spiked buckler shields. And, much to his alarm, they moved a great deal faster. Lifting himself up from where the blow had thrown him, Link realized that there was no way he could detonate a bomb close enough to blow the bones apart if they kept up that speed. His eyes lit up. "Unless…"

Thinking quickly, Link activated Zunari's Magic Armor. The spell enveloped the warrior in a protective energy shield as he took out a single bomb. The Stalfos Knights, as he decided to call them, closed in on his position quickly. Still holding the bomb, Link did his best to dodge the attacks, ending up trapped in the corner. However, right before the two brought their swords down on the Triforce bearer, the last of the bomb's fuse disappeared. "Boom."

Both skeletal warriors were sent flying by the point-blank blast, while Link just slid down the wall he was pushed against, the magic barrier absorbing the blast. Unharmed, the boy rushed the bouncing skulls, crushing them both with his hammer. Deactivating the shield, he then exited the room without a word.

In Hugh's room, the shadows concealed the small creatures waiting in ambush. As he stepped fearlessly into the center, no less than 50 gremlins dove toward him. "Oh please." He pulled his sword out as the swarm of imps converged on top of him. They were never given the opportunity to regret that move, as Hugh engulfed the lot of them with a single well-placed Fire Spin. Insulted by their feeble attempt to stop him, Hugh walked out of the door in a huff.

The other four stood waiting in the center. "Judging from the look on your face, you got ripped off too. All I had was five ChuChus. Where's the fun in that?"

The boys all said in unison "Shut up, Lance." As the fourth torch lit, the metal bars blocking the final door retracted.

"And now for the prize… or in this case, the real battle." Link walked up to the door, sword ready. "Shall we?"

On the other side, the bloated form of the Goblin King sat smugly before them. "Eh? What is this? More pests from the elf kingdom? Toluin should accept the fact that I have won, you fools."

"You've outlived your 'welcome,' fat ass."

Lance's insult infuriated the large masked creature. "I AM NOT FAT!!! I'm big boned!" The party exchanged looks of amusement at the foolish and grossly overused comment. A sickening smile spread across the masked face. "But I _do_ like to throw my weight around!"

"Whoa!" Before Elric could register what happened, he hit the wall headfirst. The King Goblin tackled him with speed that shouldn't have been possible, given the monster's girth. The impact was too much for the archer, who passed out.

"Ahahaha! Who's next?!" Link and Hugh each charged energy into their blades and unleashed their spin attacks. The flames lacing the human's sword washed over the beast first, followed immediately by the onslaught of slashes from Link's attack. "Hmph. Pathetic." Though his armor was smoldering from the assault, the thick-skinned monster appeared to be unharmed. Inhaling deeply, he launched an arrow from the mouth of his mask, striking Hugh in the shoulder. As he fell back, the goblin turned to the dazed Link, who was still reeling from the Hurricane Spin's side effects. "Ha. All too easy." With a backhand, the monster sent the boy to the dirt.

"No!" Waving her staff in the air, Tikal began to cast a healing spell. She didn't notice the fiery red orb rolling towards her from where Hugh had fallen. "Recover!" The flash of white immediately began healing the two swordsmen as well as bringing Elric back to his senses. As Hugh pulled the arrow out of his shoulder, the magic healed the wound. To his discomfort, the spot remained very sore. It was then that the orb touched the unsuspecting girl.

"Whoa… Look!" Lance directed their attention to the young mage, who was now surrounded in red energy. Her green dress billowed in the magic around her as she opened her eyes. They, too, were glowing red.

"Wha-what is happening?!" The Goblin King demanded, startled by the sight before him.

"You are trespassing on sacred ground, and have refused to leave quietly. As punishment for your crime, I invoke my power as the Chaos Protector's Spellcaster to banish you from this plain." The girl raised her staff above her head, the crimson energies converging on its tip. Swinging it forward, she unleashed her new Chaos power. "Now burn! INFERNO!" The fire blazed forth in an intensity Link thought only Valoo himself could rival. As the blast engulfed the Goblin King, the armor encasing him began to melt away. With an anguished shriek, the demon exploded, his protective mask clattering to the floor before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Hugh helped Elric back to his feet. "Still have doubts, Tikal? Wow… you are clearly the one." The girl smiled shyly at the older elf's words.

"No kidding! That Chaos Control spell was HOT!"

"Her move wasn't the only thing… ow! Hey!" Hugh rubbed the spot where Elric had jabbed him with an elbow. "What?!"

Lance shook his head, hiding his smirk. "Hugh, you'll never learn." Looking around, he noticed a large hole in the wall. "That's probably how he got in."

"Allow me." Link placed three bombs in the tunnel, the blasts causing it to cave in on itself. "That should do it. Let's get out of here."

Back at the castle, the King ordered a grand feast be held to thank the kingdom's heroes. As they ate, he said, "You do not know how grateful we are. That creature has been a thorn in our side for the longest time."

Swallowing his mouthful of food, Lance nodded. "I can see why. That was no easy fight. And it was actually Tikal who finished him off."

"Really? Is this true?"

Elric raised the turkey leg he held. "Aye, sire. She is the second Destined of the elves."

"Well I'll be… So then I trust you will be leaving with them shortly, my young attendant?"

The girl smiled, a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "Yes, my lord. My destiny lies with them."

"As ours rest in your hands… Regretfully, all I can offer you from here is information. To reach the land of the Snow Nymphs, you must first get past the Shadin Mountain range. I do not know how you are to do that, but I believe a friend of mine in the Forest Clan may be able to help you. He lives in the village just outside of the forest, straight down the trail from the East Gate."

"Thanks, your majesty." Hugh said, reaching for more bread. "With this meal, I think your debt is paid in full."

"Hugh! Be respectful!" Lance scolded as he threw an apple at his partner across the table. Laughing, the boy caught the fruit and took a bite out of it before returning fire. The fun continued for hours, until it was finally time to head out.

Standing at the gates, the king surveyed the Chosen Ones before him one last time. "You have our eternal thanks, Chaos Protectors. May the fate of the world be secure by your hands." He gave them all a formal bow. "Goodbye, my friends. And good luck."

**__**

End Chapter 11

RCM- And so ends the adventure in the Jarai Forest. Geographically, they are now halfway to the land where the Wind Shard sleeps.

Tiana- Wow… this is a big map… they're only here?

Sol- Yep, they have to go to all these places. Forests, swamps, snow areas, caves, deserts, even a barren volcanic region.

Tiana- Oh my…

RCM- Sol, that's enough foreshadowing. The readers don't need to know anymore about what's to come right now.

Sol- Okay.

RCM- That will suffice for today… We will see you again when the next chapter is complete.

Tiana- Do I get to help?

RCM- Well, since you're here, I don't see why not… yes, I owe Aria that much. Come, let's get started.

Tiana- Yeah! This'll be fun!

RCM- Coming, Sol?

Sol- Just rolling up the map. I'm right behind you!

RCM- Good. In that case, I bid you farewell, dear readers. Review at your leisure, I'll see you again!


	12. An Unlikely Alliance

Tiana- Oh no! Aria!

RCM- Relax, she told you to stay here. She banished that demon before, she can do it again.

Tiana- But…

RCM- No. Unless you want to get yourself hurt, you are staying here.

Sol- What about Anri?

RCM- You don't honestly think I wouldn't teach her magic to defend herself do you? She knows Inferno and a number of other fire spells.

Tiana- That's because you specialize in Fire magic, right?

RCM- Exactly. If you still really want to go help her, I will teach you some before you leave. In the meantime, let's get this chapter up. Sol, are we ready?

Sol- Yes sir.

RCM- Good. Tiana?

Tiana- Red Chaos Mage doesn't own any of the numerous concepts readers may recognize.

RCM- In this episode, fate deals the Protectors a very twisted hand, and Lance must make a choice testing the very fiber of his spirit. Read on, my friends. Tiana, if you would come with me…

**__**

Chapter 12

An Unlikely Alliance

"I still can't believe you two ate that much." Tikal said as they reached the end of the trees. "Lance, don't you feel sick?"

Hugh laughed. "If there's one thing we can't get enough of, it's food. Even so, Lance never could stomach as much as me."

Link rolled his eyes. "Do you two EVER stop competing?"

The pair smiled at him as innocently as possible. "Nope."

"Never."

"Oh brother…" Looking down the road, Elric spotted their destination. "Hey, I can see the town. We're almost there."

Creed was more of a campsite than a full-fledged town, though the settlement had been there for ages. Since the lupine race were born hunters, they chose to live like the wilds, their most modern abode being the occasional human-crafted tent. As they approached, one of the wolf-like residents greeted them. "Welcome strangers... Well bless me furry bones, Elric is that you? Aye! Aye, it is! Came all the way from Toluin did ye? Well come in! Stay a spell."

Elric shook the Forest Clanner's hand. "It's great to see you again, Kazin. Do you know where I can find Rindo? King Toluin sent us to him for some information."

"Aye, lad. He should be in the blue tent out yonder with a prisoner. Quite a mean fella, that one. Refused all courtesies and won't answer questions. It be best ye watch yaself around him. I fear 'tis an evil creature." Thanking Kazin, the warriors made their way to the designated tent.

Lance entered first, feeling an ice cold chill run up his spine as he did. The world around him seemed to crash as he laid eyes on the prisoner. Shackled in heavy chains on the floor sat a black humanoid warrior adorned in jet-black armor and a torn black cape. Link's gasp of shock from behind him brought the creature's blazing blue eyes up from the floor. "That's not possible… a Phantom Ganon? Here?"

"That's a Darkman…" Lance said, his voice barely audible. "The most evil creatures of this realm, leaders in the ancient wars against the forces of Light…"

Hugh came in a few seconds later, alarm flashing in his eyes as he saw the prisoner. "Ooooh boy… Uh, Lance, are you sure you want to be in here? I mean, do you need to step outside, get some air?" Link looked at the warrior in confusion. What was Hugh doing?

"No… no, Hugh… I'll be fine. He's not the one…"

"What's 'not the one'? What's going on?" Elric asked.

"Lance's father, Isaac, was killed three years ago by a Darkman with blood-red eyes… it really hit Lance hard, he was never really the same since…"

"Isaac, you say?" The dark form spoke, startling everyone in the room. "Isaac… Aran perhaps?" The entire party tensed, feeling an intense urge to grab their weapons. "Which makes you young Lance Aran, doesn't it…? Yes… I've heard of you… And then you must be Hugh Connor?"

The dark haired boy fingered the hilt of his sword. "What's it to you?"

"It is well known among my clan that the Chaos Crystal Seal is in the process of being shattered, and that Light warriors will be collecting the shards to prevent it. Our information tells us that you have already secured the Chaos Elemental Shard of Fire. It has confirmed the fears of the Dark Lords. You will try to stop the emergence of Chaos."

Link's eyes narrowed. "Wait, are you saying that these guys actually want to destroy everything? Do they realize that if they let Chaos loose…"

"All life will cease to exist, yes. However, my… former Masters are under the foolish impression that they have a way to harness all of the immense power of the entity. Why they can't see the truth is beyond my comprehension…"

Elric loosely held an arrow in his fingers, ready to launch it at the slightest false move by the speaker. "What do you mean 'former Masters?'"

The crystal blue eyes did not blink, but fell to the floor. "I… have been exiled from the clan. I refused to carry out the execution of an innocent who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The three who lead our tribe stripped me of my powers, my rank, even my identity. To speak my old name is a crime now, unless it is in the process of killing me. I have been reduced to nothing, a shadow… Had I all of my powers, these hunters would not have captured me…"

"Shadow…" Lance withdrew his hand from his sword's hilt, kneeling to get a better look at the Darkman. "So, 'Shadow'… What do you know about the Legends of Chaos?"

The creature looked up into Lance's eyes, expecting to see the tension and hatred forged by the boy's history with his clan. However, the glimmer of forgiving pity that also resided in the blonde human's eyes surprised the Darkman. '_I suppose I should…What do I have to lose…?_' He took a deep breath before answering. "The legends speak of a band of warriors, mostly Light with a select few of Dark, combining their forces to seal away the evil known only as Chaos. Once that task was completed, the six basic elements were scattered, two in each of the three continents. The ruling seventh sleeps in one of the Towers of the Gods. Whether it is the Tower of the Sun or the Tower of the Moon, I know not."

At that point, the missing leader of the Forest Clan returned from whatever errand he was running. "Oh! Well I'll be a new pup's chew toy!" Rindo exclaimed in surprise, startling Tikal. As it turned out, he had popped up right behind her. "You got the prisoner to talk to ye? Quite an accomplishment, that! Silent for hours, he was, ne'er sayin' a word to nobody. Even refused our sustenance. You folks ever turn down a good meal before? Quite rude, I say! Elric! How the blazes are ye?"

Lance turned and motioned for the excited wolfman to quiet down. "Please, I need to hear this. Shadow?"

Acknowledging that the human had given him a new name, Shadow continued. "The elements hidden in Telonia are those of Fire and Wind. Since you have Fire already, I assume you are now headed east to find Wind. On the seas near Gohdan lies the Water Shard in the Island Shrine. The Eastern Continent's second shard is the Element of Earth, sleeping deep below ground in the Temple of Mines. The element of Thunder rests on the edge of the Kepura Desert, and Wood is hidden in the depths of Deathmire Swamp. I have been to both regions of Makai, and can tell you that they are not kind to the weak."

"Why are you telling us all this?" Hugh asked.

"I am a marked man. The Dark Lords have sentenced me to death so that I never get the opportunity to aid the Chosen Ones… or to join them…"

The entire party fiercely recoiled at that last comment. "What?!"

"No way…"

"A Darkman is the Second Unseen?!"

"You're lying!"

"No." Shadow's voice was low, but none could mistake the seriousness in it. "A legend roams the harsh lands of Makai… a legend of a betrayal that leads to the convergence of Light on the Infinite Gate. By our laws, protecting an innocent is paramount to high treason. Even your customs must recognize the betrayal of treason… I am the first Darkman to spare a life in five millennia… The Dark Lords fear that I am the one from that legend…"

Lance examined the cold eyes of Shadow, wondering what he should do. Though his common sense screamed the alternative, his heart made the move anyway. "Let him go."

"What?! Lance?!"

"You can't possibly be serious!"

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Lance, you of all people…"

"I SAID LET HIM GO!" The protests falling silent, Lance turned to the stunned Darkman and gave him a poisonous glare. "Alright, I believe you. You can join us for the time being and lead us to where the remaining shards sleep, but I swear if you betray us in any way, shape or form, I will personally shred your ass into little flaming pieces. Understand?"

Shadow smirked, shaking his head as Rindo reluctantly unlocked his bonds. "Trust me, Aran…" He said, rubbing where the shackle had encased his wrist, "You would only be doing me a favor."

Closing his eyes, Lance tried to relax a little. After a deep breath, he turned to Rindo again, calmly asking for what they came for. "So Rindo, what can you tell us about the Shadin Mountain Range?"

**__**

End Chapter 12

Tiana- Oh my… they're really going to let him join? What was Lance thinking?

RCM- You must have faith, little one. Shadow will prove himself to be the 'Second Unseen,' as Elric put it, in due time.

Sol- For those of you who were wondering, the order of outbursts when Lance made his decision was Tikal first, followed by Link, then Elric, and finally Hugh.

RCM- Thank you Sol. Now Tiana, I've taught you Inferno, Flame Tower and Fire Shield. Are you absolutely sure you wish to return?

Tiana- I'm far beyond sure. I need to help Aria.

RCM- Very well… Though I do advise against this, I will not prevent you from making this decision. Be careful. And good luck, child.

Tiana- Bye! (vanishes)

Sol- Will she be alright?

RCM- Yes, I'm sure of it. Anri knows those spells and more, so with her help…

Sol- I still think you should've at least sent her with one of your dragons.

RCM- Solaris, they will be fine. Trust me. Now, I need you to help me prepare the next installment. Where did you put the map?

Sol- I left it on the table like you wanted.

RCM- Good. Let's see… (opens the map, studying it) Yes, that will work fine. Okay, Sol. We're ready to begin. Come.

Sol- Yes sir. Bye everyone! It should be ready by tomorrow.

RCM- Sol, you know not to make promises we don't know if we can keep.

Sol- But it should be.

RCM- Solaris.

Sol- Okay, okay, I'm coming. We'll get the next chapter up as soon as we finish it.

RCM- Much better. Let's go.


	13. Nothing Like Flexibility

RCM- Oh good Lord…

Sol- Master just heard what kind of demon attacked Aria.

RCM- That was just unnecessary… Skorch! Pyros! (two red dragons fly in and sit before the mage) Are the hatchlings almost fully grown?

(Skorch responds in a tongue only the mage understands)

RCM- Good. Then I have a job for you…

Sol- Uh oh… I think I know what Master has in mind… while he's busy, I'll fill you all in on what's coming up. In this chapter, we watch the party get supplies in the next town, and learn just what kind of weapon our new ally, Shadow, uses. As always, we don't own anything you recognize from other places. Okay, enjoy! Master, are you sure about this…?

**__**

Chapter 13

Nothing Like Flexibility

"I still don't like this…" Hugh whispered to Elric. "I know Lance, this just isn't like him."

"Hugh, I'm just as uncomfortable having a Darkman traveling with us as you are, but if Lance says it's okay, we've got to respect that. He is the leader…"

"Hmph… Leader. Right. Ally, yes. Leader, try again. If Lance was a real leader, he wouldn't let an evil creature into the ranks."

"You do realize I can hear you, right?" Shadow's words froze Hugh in his tracks. Chuckling to himself, the black-skinned fighter looked over his shoulder to meet the shocked human's eyes. "Darkmen have excellent hearing." Hugh hung his head as Tikal walked past him, trying her best to stifle her laughter. With a sympathetic smirk, Elric kept moving.

"Come on, buddy. The next town's up ahead." Link's light shove broke the older boy's shameful reverie. With a resigned sigh, he rejoined the others.

In front of the rest, Lance walked through the open gates into the human town of Iberon. Before any of the townsfolk could notice them, or more precisely the Darkman among them, he turned to Shadow. "I don't need to remind you how much my race hates your kind, so I think it might be a good idea if we pass off the impression that you're a prisoner."

The dark figure scoffed at the notion. "You expect me to subject myself willingly to such humiliation? Your allies were correct, Aran. You _are_ insane."

"You'd rather have the entire town trying to kill us? If you pretend to be our prisoner, the worst that they can do is throw dirty looks your way. Face it, we need supplies, and we don't want trouble. Can you do this for us? Please?"

The indignation virtually glowed in the Darkman's eyes. With an irritated huff, he held out his wrists, looking away. "Fine. Let's just make this quick."

Lance was right. Each and every human walking by them scowled at the shady 'captive' bound by the wrists with one of the grappling hook ropes. Moving quickly, Hugh and Elric went off to buy food while the rest of the group made its way to the weapon shop. Eyeing them wearily, the keeper asked, "What can I do ya for?"

"We need arrows, bombs…" Link looked back at Tikal's staff, badly damaged from the fire spell she used the day before. "…And a Mage's staff."

The gruff-looking man took a look at the staff, sizing it up. "I see she has one of them elfish Lostwood Staffs. Judging from the scorch marks, it's seen its share of action, too." He went to the back of his stall, pulling an iron rod off of a stand on the wall. "This here is made of lightweight steel, so it will withstand plenty more than that beat-up old thing of yours did. I've heard that this green orb at the tip also increases the potency of some of the weaker spells, though personally I wouldn't know. I can let it go for 375 coins, as well as the trade-in of your old weapon."

The elf clutched her charred wand possessively, not wanting to give it up. Lance softly put his hand on her shoulder. "There's no other way, Tikal. Another fire spell would have destroyed it."

"I know, Lance, but…" she slowly weakened her grip. "I've had this staff since I was a little girl…" Handing the weapon to Lance, he traded for the new metal one. Grasping her new staff, Tikal managed a smile. "It almost feels the same."

The merchant took the old stick and placed it under the counter. "Don't forget, we also need the arrows and bombs."

"Don't get your quiver in a bunch, kid. I remember." He pulled five packs of thirty arrows down from the rack, as well as two pouches filled with thirty bombs each. "That enough? Alright then, one Steel Staff, 150 arrows and 60 bombs… total comes to 1125 coins."

Link knew that the old man was charging at least 50 coins over what the prices really added up to, but since the group was in a hurry, he didn't say anything. '_It's probably because we have Shadow… Well, it's not like we can't afford it…_' Placing the coins on the counter, he collected the supplies and left.

"Have a good one!" The storekeeper called after them. As they drew further away, Shadow heard the man mutter "Blasted kids. What do they think they're doin' bringing a Darkman around here… Tied up or not, they should kill it."

Not wanting to stay longer than they had to, the party quickly left the town. Once they were a good distance from the gates, Lance untied Shadow. "I'm sorry we couldn't get you a weapon. Frankly, we didn't know what your kind prefers to use."

"It doesn't matter. I may have lost everything, but I still have this." The Darkman reached back under his cape and pulled out what looked like a black sword hilt. As the rest of the group watched in amazement, the item extended and shifted form, molding itself into a fearsome scythe. After that, it morphed itself into a double-edged axe, followed by a sharp trident, and finally a large black sword. "Standard issue among my people. It forms itself into any weapon we choose to hold when we so desire. We call it the Berserker."

"I can see why…" Elric placed his share of the arrows in his quiver before looking to the sky. The sun was slowly fading into the trees to the west. "We should set up camp. We can reach Shadin once it's morning."

Shadow laughed. "What's the matter, elf? Scared of the dark?" Despite the rude comment, even he helped set up camp. Each of them wanted rest after such a trying day. As the sun rose again over the Shadin Mountains to the east, Hugh awoke to see Shadow standing on the edge of camp. He also noticed the Berserker in the form of a scythe in the Darkman's hand. "Before you ask, a small group of Harpies tried to attack while you slept. I clipped their wings right before they burst into flame. I assume that is what happens to Chaos-spawned creatures, yes?"

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Hugh nodded. "Yeah, I guess… Thanks..."

Though Hugh couldn't see it, a small smile was fighting to appear on Shadow's face. It lost. "Believe me, Connor. It was nothing personal." His scythe returning to its idle form, Shadow began packing his sparse belongings. "I suggest you wake the others. Something tells me there is trouble in Shadin."

Whatever had triggered Shadow's hunch proved very accurate. As they approached the home of the Hillfolk, a loud roar echoed from the skies above them. As the townsfolk fled, Lance spotted the source of their terror. "Holy…"

A brilliant blue dragon, no less than 30 feet long, landed before them. Along the sides of its head grew two rows of sharp horns, with another extending from the tip of its snout. With a belch of flame, the beast took to the sky again, hovering over the buildings it had already destroyed. Link was the first to recover from the fire attack. "Okay, let's try to shoot it down first. Elric?" Taking out his own bow, the Hylian took careful aim. Both arrows flew straight and true, but neither could find its mark.

"Damn! It's moving too fast! Tikal, slow it down!" Try as she might, the young mage's Hinder spell merely drew circles in the air behind the swiftly moving creature.

Suddenly, Link had an idea. "Lance! Hugh! Get on top of those two buildings. While we distract it, you use your Chaos moves to cut off its wings." Nodding, the two ran to where the younger boy had instructed, using the nearby debris to climb to the roofs. Locking onto the dragon with the tool's homing feature, Link let his boomerang fly. Though it wouldn't actually hurt the flying reptile, the impact between the beast's eyes stunned it enough to stop moving for a moment. Conveniently, it was right between the buildings where the other two were now perched. "Tikal, use your magic to bring it closer to them."

"With pleasure." The girl cast her spell one more time. The ring of energy hit, causing the dragon to lose altitude. "Lance! Now!"

The two leaped off of the buildings, using their Chaos moves to add extra height at the peaks of their jumps. Landing on opposite sides of the dragon's back, they smirked at each other before executing the same Cross Cut attack that finished the Dragon Knight only days earlier. Their momentum flinging them from the beast, they kicked off of the buildings to land neatly, back to back. They watched as the now-wingless dragon crashed face first into the ground, slowly skidding to a halt. "Aran! The Fire Element! Let me finish this!" With a nod of approval from Lance, Hugh threw the Chaos Mage's orb to the Darkman. As he absorbed the power, his weapon shifted form into a large axe.

"Shadow! Look out!" Tikal cried as the dragon broke free of its confines.

The ebon warrior's eyes were glowing a pale red. "Hmph. Now it's time to show you true power." Shadow pushed off of the ground in a mighty leap, coming down blade first on the dragon. "It's over! Quake Blaze!" Slamming the axe into the beast, a pillar of fire erupted from the ground below them. The others were nearly sent to the dirt from the tremor brought by the blow, but they quickly applauded the results. The great blue dragon was now nothing more than a rising cloud of smoke dissipating in the mid-day breeze.

Lance and Hugh walked back to where the others waited. "I think we've proven which side he's on." Lance said, extending his hand to the Darkman. "Nicely done, Shadow."

The dark warrior just stared at the blonde human's hand, confused by the gesture. "I don't understand… after all that my people have done to you, to your family… why are you accepting me so readily?"

"Because I've learned enough to know that actions speak louder than words. You saved innocent lives. Not just when you first defied your leaders, but now as well, saving this village. You've proven that you are more than an average Darkman. You've shown us that you really are one of the destined Chaos Protectors. The Mage's orb wouldn't have granted you the Quake Blaze attack if you weren't." Lance smirked. "Besides, I'm after the Darkman with blood-red eyes. Unless there's something about you I don't know, you had nothing to do with it. As strange as it might sound, you've earned my trust. I think it's time we deserve some of yours."

This time, the smile did appear on his face. Firmly grasping the human's hand, Shadow nodded. "Thank you, Lance. Together we will save this world."

Smiling, Elric turned to Hugh. "Still don't trust him?"

Watching the scene before them, the human just smirked back. "Not really… but I think I'm getting closer."

**__**

End Chapter 13

RCM- It's always good to be flexible… Now they should trust each other a little more.

Sol- Master, I can't stress this enough. You're overreacting again.

RCM- No, I don't believe I am.

Sol- I know you want to send the hatchlings to Aria to guard that gate of hers, but they're too young. They're unpredictable. And you don't even know if she knows how to train dragons anyway.

RCM- Oh, that's what you're referring to? That was what I told Skorch and Pyros to do, and what they are currently doing. I am not sending the hatchlings anywhere until they are properly trained.

Sol- Um… are you sure this is a good idea? Shouldn't you at least ask Aria first?

RCM- Sol, relax. It will be at least another week before they will be ready, and you know as well as I do that she is going to hear this conversation. If she would rather find something else to guard her territory, she has plenty of time to tell us. And if that is the case, we can always post them in our own dungeons.

Sol- Oh… well, if that's the plan, I guess it'd be okay…

RCM- Good. Now tell me… How much time remains before our… other engagement?

Sol- Let me check… (looks at calendar) Uh, you're scheduled to leave in three days.

RCM- Damn… oh well, it can't be helped…

Sol- Can't I handle the updates while you're gone?

RCM- You know that's not possible. Besides, I'll only be gone four days. In that time I should have plenty of new material ready to make up for my absence.

Sol- Alright. I think we should get started on the Shadin Tunnel chapter now.

RCM- That's a good idea. Let's go. Farewell my friends. I look forward to hearing from you in the reviews.


	14. Underground Crossway

RCM- Hmph. Inconvenience… the only 'inconvenience' is the blasted trip I have to go on! Aria never was, nor do I foresee her being one.

Anri- Please, Master. Calm down. There's no need to get upset.

Sol- Someone should tell Skorch and Pyros where the hatchlings will be posted now that Aria doesn't need them.

RCM- I can't, I have to do this first. You tell them.

Sol- But I can't speak their language.

RCM- No, but they can understand yours. 

Sol- But…

RCM- Solaris, just do it.

Sol- Yes sir… (flies away)

Anri- I should get back to Aria…

RCM- Not so fast, young lady. I need to speak with you.

Anri- Oh… I'm not in trouble, am I?

RCM- No, but it is important. I'll tell you after we get the story started.

Anri- Yes sir.

RCM- Would you care to do the honors?

Anri- We don't own any of the concepts readers may recognize, video game or otherwise.

RCM- In this chapter, the party travels through the depths of the Shadin Tunnel, learning a little detail about Shadow's past along the way. Now, come with me Anri.

**__**

Chapter 14

Underground Crossway

The elated Hillfolk rushed back to town, showering their heroes with praise. Not surprisingly, Hugh reveled in it, but Lance wanted to keep moving. "Excuse me, can one of you tell us how to get past those mountains?"

"Hail heroes!"

"Anybody?"

"You saved us!"

As much as he tried, all he could get out of them were similar, if not identical, comments. Shadow groaned. "I heard that Hillfolk weren't exactly the brightest race in existence, but I had no idea they were THIS bad."

One of the large-muscled locals finally stopped his barrage of cheers to ask "Can we do anything for heroes?"

Elric didn't waste a second in taking advantage of the new window of opportunity. "Yes! Yes, you can help us!"

"How? How we help?"

"Tell us how we cross those mountains." He pointed to the peaks behind him so they wouldn't get confused.

"Cross? No one can cross. Too steep to cross."

Another one nodded rapidly, a dopey grin on his face. "Yes, yes. Too steep. Don't go over. Go under. Under much easier."

"Yes, under. Under best."

"Under…?" Link closed his eyes in thought, trying to figure out what they meant. Coming up with a possible answer, he scanned the base of the mountains with the telescope. It didn't take long to confirm his theory. "Of course. Right there, look. It's a cave, probably a tunnel." He handed the telescope to Lance, who quickly confirmed their next destination.

"Yes! Tunnel! Is fastest, best way past mountains. Leads to Nymph place."

Hugh put two and two together quickly. "The Ice Tower! It's near where the Snow Nymphs live! We're almost there!"

Tikal backed away from one of the hopping fans. "Um, can we get out of here before their appreciation kills us?"

Shadow was using a six-foot black pole to hold off another that was trying to hug him, the adaptability of the Berserker again proving quite useful. "I agree. We found out what we needed, let's go!"

Due to the Hillfolk's limited intelligence, it didn't take long for the heroes to elude them. Once they reached the entrance to the cave, Lance stopped and fished out an old lantern from his pack. As strong as he was, neither he nor Hugh could prevent the mourning sigh that came from seeing Graham's former tool. The only one among them to notice was Tikal, who simply gave them each a short questioning glance. She was curious as to the cause of the show of emotion, but wanted to respect their privacy as well. As Lance ignited the lantern, Elric lit an arrow aflame to use as a torch. With both lights ready, the group entered the cavern. Within seconds, three bats identical to those in the Temple of Elders dove at them. "Incoming!"

Shadow scoffed, easily knocking back the projectiles. "Cannon Keese? Pathetic." Moments later, a larger, more impish creature dropped from the ceiling. "A Vire? That's more like it!" With a swish of his scythe, the Darkman split the Vire into a pair of Keese, each armed with razor sharp fangs.

A spinning boomerang knocked both bats to dust. "Can't let you have all the fun." Link said as he caught his weapon.

The shadows continued to dance on the walls in the flickering light of the lantern and Fire Arrow. Most of the opposition took the form of Vire and Keese, with a few worm-like Moldorms roaming into their path now and then. However, they ran into a more powerful problem near the end of the tunnel. "Who dares enter my dominion?!"

"The hell?" Hugh looked around frantically, the voice sounding very hostile. On a hunch, Elric let his arrow fly, illuminating the stretch of tunnel ahead. As the bolt burst against the wall, the resulting flash exposed a large, impish creature, very similar in form to the late Goblin King, though much less heavyset.

"A Hobgoblin…" Shadow said with a small chuckle. "Didn't think any of those even existed anymore."

The blue demon took a step closer, seeming to examine the tall figure in the rear of the party. "Well, well… If it isn't a Darkman amongst the intruders… Not only do you betray your family but you harbor creatures of Light?! You truly do deserve to die, Bel'Tasur." Shadow visibly tensed, the rage clearly growing in his eyes. "Oh, that's right… you have lost your title, haven't you? To call you by your name is folly, save for those who have the opportunity to kill you." The imp smiled, revealing several rows of needle sharp teeth. "I look forward to collecting the hefty price on your head!"

"This guy's making me sick. Torch 'im, Tikal!" Heeding Lance's request, she let loose an Inferno blast, sure to connect in the closed confines of the tunnel. However, much to their horror, the beast remained, completely unharmed. "No way… how could she miss?!"

The deranged imp laughed, its color shifting from blue to red. "She didn't!" With a screech, the Hobgoblin spewed a flame much like Tikal's Inferno spell back at the heroes, its intensity almost twice what the original attack contained. Hugh fell to his knees, propping himself up with his sword. Being in front, Lance took the hit hard on his left side, rendering the entire arm useless. Both of the elves were thrown back into the walls, but Link managed to pull up his Mirror Shield in time, barely deflecting his share of the blast into the ceiling. "Hmm… not bad, kid. It's a shame you will die like th- _ERK_!"

The Hobgoblin's words were cut off abruptly by the Darkman grabbing its throat from behind. The blade of his scythe inches from his captive's face, the ebon warrior said with venom in his voice "My name is _Shadow_." After a jerk of his wrist, the pieces of the demon fell to the floor, where they vaporized. Turning back to his allies, he asked "You okay?"

Despite the wound to his shield arm, Lance nodded. Helping Hugh to his feet, he gestured for Link to revive Elric and Tikal. Together, they slowly made their way to the end of the underground passage. "I never knew how inviting the light at the end of a tunnel could be…"

"You know, if my other arm wasn't dead, I'd hit you over the head for that."

Hugh laughed. "Yeah, I know. Why do you think I said it?" His laughter abruptly stopped as Lance withdrew his shoulder, letting the dark haired boy fall face first into the ground. "Hey, come on!"

"You asked for it." Lance said with a smirk. After Link helped Hugh up again, he took his telescope to try figuring out the distance to the town lying a ways down the road. The shining blue tower behind it signified that they were on the verge of collecting their second shard. "It's still a long walk, and the sun will be going down soon. Should we try to make it?"

Tikal asked to see the telescope. After carefully examining the area in the distance, she offered to try using her magic to teleport them there. "Hold on, I thought you had to be in an area once before in order to warp us there."

"Not quite. I have to _see_ where I'm going for it to work. Thanks to Link, I should be able to take us almost directly to the edge of the town."

"Well, I'm game." Hugh said quickly. "The sooner I get this leg looked at the better." Lance nodded, helping Link hoist their partner into a standing position. Once the circle of allies completed itself, the young spellcaster closed her eyes and began reciting the familiar incantation. Moments later, they appeared on the outskirts of Aurora, where a small group of Snow Nymphs quickly took them in. As the sun set over the mountains they had just passed, each and every party member swiftly fell into a content and restful sleep.

**__**

End Chapter 14

RCM- So do you accept the responsibility?

Anri- Yes, of course Master. I'll make sure he stays out of trouble.

Sol- What's going on?

RCM- Solaris, perfect timing. (sigh) This will likely be the last update I will be able to post until I return on Sunday. Because I do not want you to be here by yourself for so long, I am sending you with Anri to stay with Aria again.

Sol- Really? That's almost a whole week!

Anri- I'm sure she won't mind. And I'm sure Apollo would want to meet you.

Sol- Who?

RCM- Aria's newest fairy. Worry not, my children. I shall return. In the meantime, take care yourselves. And Solaris, do not let me hear that you broke anything over there. Understand?

Sol- (gulp) Yes sir.

Anri- Hee hee… Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him.

Sol- We'll miss you, Master.

RCM- I know, I will miss all of you as well… Now go. I do not wish for this to last longer than it has to. I hate long good-byes.

Anri and Sol- Farewell Master. We shall await your return. (both vanish)

RCM- It is done… Though it will be a while before I complete the next chapter, I will do everything in my power to make good of the time I am away. If my plan works, the next update will contain 3 chapters at least, but I will make no promises. For the time being, I bid you, my readers, a fond farewell. (vanishes too, in a burst of flame)


	15. A WarmHearted Ice Queen

RCM- Argh… sunburned, sore, tired… But damn! It's good to be back! I wonder what my readers left for me while I was gone…? (soft chuckle after reading the reviews) Quite an observant reviewer… slightly mistaken in one detail, but otherwise very perceptive. You were correct in the primary source of Lance's Flare Blade attack. I did base it off of Roy's Blazer move from SSBM. However, I made no mistake calling the charm a Gossip Stone. In the game, when we first learned Tetra was Zelda, King Hyrule said that the charm was MADE of Gossip Stone. Therefore my use of that term instead is warranted. Now that that is out of the way, I can return, as promised, with these new chapters. To emphasize the disclaimer further, I will make it on its own line this time:

I do not own The Legend of Zelda, nor do I own the material from other video games, television, or anything else my readers happen to observe.

I must say I'm impressed with that reviewer's observations (you know who you are). However, I respectfully ask that you all not mention where you recognize material from after this update. At the conclusion of this story, I will be posting a Cast and Credits segment, which will detail a little background for each major character, as well as what sources I used throughout the story. In the meantime, let's continue the adventure. Today we will be entering the Kingdom of the Snow Nymphs, a land led by a dear friend of mine. Oh, and speaking of whom, her latest review (which I read before I left) is actually what gave me the idea for the opening scene… ow! Damn burn…

**__**

Chapter 15

A Warm-Hearted Ice Queen

"No way! It reflected the blast?!"

"I couldn't believe it. I barely got my shield up in time." Link looked out the window to watch in quiet awe at the snow gently drifting in the morning air. "Shadow somehow got behind it and cut off its head, then Tikal used my telescope to bring us here."

Tetra barked a laugh. "How'd she manage that? Didja squeeze through the eye-piece?"

The Hero of Winds scoffed. "No, Miss Tetra, I don't know how she did it. I'm not a magician."

"Sure you are. I bet you've got lots of tricks up your sleeves, lover boy." She sighed happily. "I'm just glad those Nymphs patched you all up. Since the boys are out getting supplies on Windfall, there aren't any distractions… we can talk for hours."

Link smiled sadly. "Sorry hon… knowing these guys, something's going to go wrong right about…" A splash followed by raucous laughter came from the room next door. "Now."

Seconds later, Link heard the door slam open and Lance yelling "Hugh! Get back here you sonuvabitch!"

Tetra was laughing hard on the other side of the connection, obviously hearing the events taking place. "See what I have to put up with? If those two behave well enough, we're going to be getting the next shard later today. I'll fill you in on what happened as soon as we get back."

"Alright. Take care of yourself. And don't let the children kill each other." With another laugh, Link put away the Pirate's Charm and exited the room.

The sight that met his eyes almost sent him to the floor, he was laughing so hard. Lance was chasing Hugh around the lobby of the inn, soaking wet. Since Hugh still held the bucket he used to douse his childhood friend, it was clear who started the mess. Walking up behind him, Tikal blinked in confusion, then wiped her eyes and took a closer look before finally registering the madness before them. "Link, what's going on? What's got into them?"

It took a moment or two for Link to calm down enough to provide an answer. "From what I heard, Hugh dumped a bucket of ice water on Lance while he was sleeping. This would be the aftermath." She rolled her eyes and went back to her room. Returning with her staff, she then cast Hinder on both of them, ending the amusing scene. Link held himself up against the wall, finally catching his breath. "Oh well… they would've run up a huge Public Disturbance fee if they kept that up anyway."

After cleaning up and apologizing to the Nymph managing the place, the group was escorted to the castle. Inside sat the Queen of the Snow Nymphs, her ice-crystal crown sparkling in the morning light. "Welcome, weary travelers. I hope you have enjoyed your rest and recovered fully. I am Aria Zephyr, the Queen of this fair land. From what I have heard, you are the fabled Saviors of the Seal. If I may, is that true?"

Lance nodded, holding out his pendant. The crystal shard glittered within it, the insignia of Fire bright on its surface. "Yes, your majesty."

Rising from her throne, the queen slowly walked up to him and gently took the medallion in her hands. "By the Gods… it truly is the Charm…" She let it fall back onto Lance's tunic. "I was advised of this occurrence by a friend of mine. He is the High Mage within the Ice Tower just north of here."

Hugh cautiously raised his arm, not wanting to offend the beautiful royalty before them. "Excuse me, but would he happen to be the Chaos Mage of Weather?"

Queen Aria smiled. "Why yes, sir knight. He is also called the White Chaos Mage." Just then, one of the queen's servants entered the room, apparently agitated. "Tiana? What's wrong? You look pale."

Shadow muttered under his breath "How could she tell? Their skin's bluish-white." Link promptly jabbed him in the ribs. "What?"

The servant bowed to the queen, fear evident on her face. "Lady Aria! A massive white wolf is headed toward town! It is coming from the direction of the Ice Tower!"

"What?!" Queen Aria looked like she was about to faint. "That's… not possible… How could anything get by the Mage's protection spell?"

Lance and Hugh immediately knew exactly what had happened. Just like in their own hometown, the local Mage must have been engaged in a battle with an evil force, allowing monsters to escape the temple walls. That could only mean that the shard they sought was in danger. "Lady Aria, we'll take care of this! Keep your people inside!" The queen nodded silently, watching the six run out to intercept the creature.

Shadow saw it first. The beast did look like a wolf, but its forepaws were grossly oversized, as were its jaws. Its glowing red eyes locked onto the black warrior in its path, rearing up to attack the potential prey. Stopping in a battle stance, Shadow made his weapon into a scythe. "You like that form, don't you?"

Ignoring Hugh's comment, the Darkman identified the threat. "It's a Wolfos. It has decent speed and defensive skills, but its claws are too large for it to use them very effectively. If its attack misses, the vulnerable tail will be exposed."

"Allow me." Lance ran forward, watching and waiting for the wolf to make its move. The swipe came, and the warrior leapt out of the way. "Ha! That was almost _too_ easy!" A single Flare Blade to the tail wiped out the Wolfos, leaving a few coins where it disappeared. "Huh?"

Shadow smirked. "I guess the rumors about these things eating money and items are true."

"Whatever…" Picking up the spoils, Lance looked toward the tower. A blue energy barrier was shimmering before the doorway, blocking any from entering, though it flickered off every so often. "The shield is dropping too erratically for all of us to just sneak by. Let's talk to Queen Aria again about that Tower." A short while later, they again stood before the Lady of the North, Lance telling the likely circumstances of the beast's escape. "So unless we can get to the shrine inside the Tower, those monsters will just keep on coming.

Aria absorbed that and quickly called another servant. "Apollo, get the Tower Key for our guests. Hurry!" Within a few moments, he returned with said key in hand. "Use that to break the seal around the entrance of the Ice Tower. You will not be able to enter otherwise. Please hurry to the Mage's aid."

The six each bowed to the queen. "Yes, your majesty."

"Come back and see me once your task there is complete. I may be able to help you further." Rising herself, she returned the gesture of respect. "Fare thee well, heroes."

Drawing their weapons, the six turned and headed off towards the resting-place of the second Chaos Element, as well as whatever else hid within the tower walls. As they departed, the queen thought she heard Hugh say "The first one to get knocked out in there buys dinner." The resulting uproar brought a small smile to her lips.

"Good luck, Protectors… May the Gods watch over you…"

**__**

End Chapter 15

RCM- As I promised before, I have written three chapters during my absence, but I have yet to type them up. Since this one is done now, I will post this alone today, and provide the next one tomorrow. If I finish both, then you all will get the treat of two chapters in one day. With that said, I will take my leave. Anarina, Solaris, I will require your assistance for Chapter 17. You both have another appearance coming up. As for the rest of you, I bid thee farewell.


	16. The Winds of Fate

Anri- Master, we're home!

Sol- Master, where are you?

Anri- This is weird…

Sol- I can't sense him anywhere… I don't like this…

RCM's voice- I'm in the dungeons, I'll be right up!

Anri- Oh, that explains it.

Sol- Must be a new shielding spell.

RCM- You're a smart boy, Sol. That is correct.

Anri- Master, Aria wanted me to…

RCM- I know, my dear. I saw. She is most welcome. 

Anri- I'm sure she'll be pleased to hear that.

RCM- To be honest, I'm slightly surprised her little fairies didn't notice that they were written in as well… in a different form, yes, but written in just the same.

Sol- Um… They were rather… busy when we left.

RCM- Heh. I suppose that would be putting it mildly. Now, my children… shall we?

Anri and Sol- Yes sir! We don't own any of the concepts people recognize, no matter how much we wish we did.

RCM- Hmm? That was different… I suppose it'll suffice for now… Anyway, this chapter follows our heroes through the first three floors of the Ice Tower, culminating in a battle with… actually, I'll let you find out for yourselves.

**__**

Chapter 16

The Winds of Fate

"You know what I don't get? If this is an Ice Tower, wouldn't it make just as much sense to keep the Water Element here? I mean, since ice is made of water…"

Lance inserted the key into a slot in the wall, causing the shining blue energy barrier to dissipate. "Yeah, but don't forget that winds are strong in high places. Besides, didn't Shadow say the Water Shard was hidden inside an Island Shrine?" 

The Darkman nodded. "The temple constructed alone on an island houses the Elemental Shard of Water, as its resting place is surrounded by seas." The inside of the tower was remarkable, as one could see the roof if looking up from the center. "It would seem that we have to find a way up through the side rooms. I don't see any stairs here."

Hugh looked expectantly at Tikal, but she shook her head. "If I can't see where I'm going, I can't warp us there. Until I can see the floor above us, the spell won't work. Sorry."

Lance took hold of Hugh's shoulder and dragged him toward the door to their left. "Come on, bro. It's always more fun with the scenic route."

"Nuts…" Entering the room, Hugh looked around for a way to get to higher ground, but the only means he saw was a ladder suspended higher than any of them could reach. "Oh, that works."

Link saw the problem and realized what was up. "We have to figure out the puzzle in this room so the ladder will drop. Once we do, we can get upstairs." Looking to his right, he saw what looked like a wind-powered switch. "Hmm… I wonder…"

The Deku Leaf blast spun the switch, causing nine blocks to fall from the ceiling and a sketch to appear on the wall. Lance walked up to it, using the Pendant's magic to read the inscription below the drawing. "'Match the image on the blocks to the image here in order to proceed…' It sounds easy enough." Just as they were about to start, four Wolfos dug themselves up from the floor, shaking dirt off of their white coats. "Spoke too soon… Nothing like distractions."

Tikal and Elric exchanged a quick look, nodding in silent agreement. "Elric and I will handle the puzzle. You four keep them busy."

"You got it," Link said, sword in hand.

While the duels commenced, Tikal navigated as Elric positioned the blocks. It didn't take long for the pair to complete the image. Shadow finished off the last of the beasts as they did, turning to see the three wavy lines with extra curls on the top and bottom. He quickly made the connection. "The crest of Wind…" Almost as if responding to his words, the ladder dropped from the wall, granting access to the next level. "Not bad." The door at the top led them right above where they started. "Now what?"

Link saw a ledge on the other side, his first instinct being to float over there to investigate. However, the distance was too great for the others to follow. '_No sense being selfish_.' Looking down, he saw a crystal switch hanging under the platform. '_Huh? Oh… yeah, that would work too…_'

"Just figure it out?" Hugh snickered, "You have a bit of a look when you mentally slap yourself. It's kinda funny."

"Shut up, Hugh." The boomerang flew, hitting the switch. After glowing for about a minute, it shut off again.

"Huh? What's the point of that?"

Curious, Link jumped across the chasm, floating over neatly with his magic leaf. Turning back, he saw a second switch underneath the others. "Aha! Elric, shoot the switch below me." After the elf did, Link threw his boomerang again to light up the second switch. Without warning, the platform he was on began to move toward his allies.

"Clever." After they all boarded the platform, it rose to the third floor. A brilliantly decorated door stood in their way, meaning only one thing. "Cool. It's go time."

"Elric, why is Hugh so strange?" The elf just shrugged at Tikal's question, following the others through the door.

Inside was a large chamber, dimly lit by a few wall-mounted torches. The sound of rustling feathers seemed to be coming from above them. "Well, what do we have here? Fresh meat?"

A pair of harpies flapped down from somewhere above them, both smiling wickedly. "I do believe you are right, sister. The Snow Fools must have sent them in to flush us out."

The torches flared to a brighter glow, revealing a larger, more dangerous-looking harpy roosting in the highest reaches of the room. Her blue and gold crest of feathers gave her the look of a queen. Appropriate, since that is what she was. "We have news for you, Earth walkers." Leaping from her perch, the Queen of the Harpies floated slightly higher than the other two. "No one can make us leave this place! Go on, girls. It's time to eat."

"Like Hell it is…" Shadow growled, the Berserker extending into a trident. One of the harpies chose him to be her first target, a decision she quickly began to regret. The Darkman's speed allowed him to easily evade the diving monster's claws and drive his spear into its wing. He found the resulting screech of pain to be very satisfying. "Eat this!" Shifting his weapon into an axe, he used a mighty Quake Blaze to finish the grounded enemy.

The second went after Tikal, assuming that she was the most vulnerable of the group. "Hinder!" The winged attacker froze in midair, cursing the young mage that put her in that predicament.

"See ya!" The rising flames of the Flare Blade incinerated the helpless monster, leaving the Harpy Queen as their only adversary.

She was furious. "You insolent worms! You shall pay with your lives!" With a mighty flap of its wings, the beast rose slightly before diving upon them. Unlike her lackeys, she was fast enough to actually make contact. If the razor-sharp wings didn't do it, the fierce sonic boom in her wake definitely did.

"Ow… this one's going to take a more cretive approach…" Link pulled himself off of the floor and began scanning the room. Unfortunately, he failed to notice the growing shadow directly below him. "Whoa!" was all he could say as the enraged harpy wrapped her claws around him, much like the Helmaroc King had to Aryll two years prior.

"Link!" Elric tried shooting Fire Arrows up at the rising beast, but none would connect. However, by sheer dumb luck, one of the missed bolts hit an eye-switch encased in a shell of ice. With the fire eliminating its cold seal, the ceiling-mounted trigger opened a panel below the warriors, revealing a very large fan under steel grating. "What the…?"

With a loud whirring noise, the fan started up, sending a tremendous burst of air upward. As Tikal fought to keep her skirt down, the others watched the scene above them unfold. The sudden gust had completely destroyed the Harpy Queen's equilibrium, sending her into a wild spin straight into the wall. Jolted free from the impact, Link floated into the air current on his Deku Leaf as Elric launched a final Fire Arrow. "Keeeyaaaaaaaaah!" The flaming bolt pierced the creature in the heart, its shrill, dying shriek echoing throughout the tower. The intensity of the cry was enough to shake loose the eye switch, causing it to fall and shatter onto the floor. The airflow abruptly ceased.

"Whew… that's better."

Lance looked first at Tikal, who was the speaker, then at Hugh. Instantly reading his old friend's expression, the blonde whacked him over the head. "Hey! I didn't say anything!"

"I know that look," was his simple reply, turning to watch Link drift the rest of the way down.

**__**

End Chapter 16

RCM- Since I have recently realized that I have far less time available to me than I anticipated, I couldn't post the next chapter today even if I wanted to. Once I get the opportunity to type up the next chapter, I will take full advantage of it… though it may be a day or two before that happens.

Anri- We're ready, Master.

Sol- Just tell us where to go.

RCM- Good. Your destination is the top of the Ice Tower, where you will again meet the Chaos Protectors. I will not tell you more, as it would spoil the course of events…

Sol- Okay, we'll manage. Let's go, sis.

Anri- Right behind you.

Sol and Anri- Be back soon. (vanish)

RCM- I just hope they don't get frightened out of their wits, seeing that particular creature again… especially Anri… There's no sense getting overly worried, though. I know Lance and the others will be there in time, probably arriving before my children do. In any case, I shall return with the next installment as soon as I am able. Until then, farewell.


	17. Avian Chaos

RCM- (looks sadly at a calendar) …it would seem that a different Chaos is approaching… not the entity our friends are on the mission to stop, but rather something more real… a force my magic has no effect against… The school year begins in approximately eight days… and at that time my progress will be hindered greatly. However, the satisfaction that this would be my final year does not escape my grasp.

But enough of that. As always, I reaffirm the fact that I do not own any of the numerous recognizable concepts within my story. I will credit all that I can once it is complete, provided I can remember exactly where they all came from… In any case, this episode tests Tikal's growth as a mage, and my fairies make another appearance. Read on…

**__**

Chapter 17

Avian Chaos

The Deku Leaf expired just as Link was about to reach the floor. Falling the last three feet with a thump, he brushed himself off. "I guess I have to replenish my magic power. I used the last of it floating down."

"How do we do that?" Looking around, Link found a trio of jars in the corner of the room. How they survived the Harpy Queen's assault is anyone's guess, but he quickly emptied them, finding three smaller jars inside. Opening one of them to show his friends, Link then drained each of them. He felt his magic recharge back to full capacity, and the magic decanters vanished without a trace. "Oh… that was cool."

"Alright, next question… How do we get up the rest of the tower?"

The ledges above them were too high for Link, Hugh or Lance to throw their grappling hooks up to, and not even the full extension of the Berserker could reach the lowest platform. They already knew that Tikal's spell was useless in this situation, so they stopped and took a closer look at their surroundings. It was Elric who spotted the inscription first. "Hey guys. There, in the back."

Lance placed his hand on the runes, his pendant glowing slightly as he translated. "'Activate the unseen switches'… didn't we do that already?"

Tikal shook her head slowly, noticing a minor detail in the words. "No… no, I don't think we have… Unseen _switches_? That's plural. We've only hit one." Casting her Reveal spell, she looked about the room, a smile appearing on her face. "I can see four more crystal switches along the wall!"

"Where?"

The girl turned back to her friends, the white glow in her eyes fading away. '_There has to be a way I can show one of them so they can activate those switches… but how…?_' Then it hit her. "Link, your boomerang can lock onto targets, yes?" The boy nodded, curious as to what she was getting at. "Do you mind if I try casting the Reveal spell on you? If I change a few words, it may let you be able to see where to aim."

The others exchanged a look, then turned to Link. "It's worth a shot."

Agreeing to the plan, Link closed his eyes as she chanted the spell, her staff pointed at him. Feeling a slight head-rush, he opened them again to find everything in a whitish hue. However, he also saw the four switches winding their way up the walls of the room. "Cool! It worked!" Taking aim, he let his weapon fly. As the final switch lit up, the white hue faded and a set of platforms appeared out of the walls. They formed a sort of spiral staircase for them, which they were easily able to climb. At the top sat an ornate treasure chest, which they found to be securely locked.

"Move aside, I'll get this open." Shadow shoved his black weapon into the keyhole, using its morphing ability to break the lock from the inside. The chest's content wasn't exactly impressive. "What? A chunk of metal? What would anyone want with a piece of junk like this?"

Lance shrugged, placing the lightweight ore into his pack. "We can ask Queen Aria about it when we get back. Let's find the Mage." With Lance at point, the party made its way up the remaining floors of the Ice Tower, slaying the various icy monsters along the way. At the sixth floor, they found a small hallway that seemed to wind up to the highest point in the building. Entering the final door, they watched in horror as a gigantic white eagle swallowed the pale blue Crystal Shard. The Chaos Mage was nowhere to be seen. "No! We're too late!"

Memories of the Helmaroc King flooded back to Link as the avian beast turned to face them. It was nearly identical to his old enemy physically, but instead of a mask it bore an intimidating crest of sharp feathers, and its body was much larger. A familiar hatred returned to him as he pulled out his bow. "No… not this time…"

Though Lance had no idea what had gotten into Link, he quickly agreed. "Let's cook us up some bird!" Leaping into the air, he thrust his sword upward. The Flare Blade jump activated, sending flames arcing up to where the eagle was hovering. However, the beaked face seemed to twitch into a smirk, and within the blink of an eye, a blinding blast of wind encircled the beast. The cyclone not only knocked Lance out of the air and into the wall, but also reflected the fire he had created back at him.

The force of the twister ripped a large hole in the ceiling, allowing the avian to rise up into a whole new battlefield. As the rubble fell down from above them, Hugh heard a small voice cry out in anger from his left. "Sol, I thought I told you to focus! Now we're too late! Look at this mess!"

Turning around, he found himself face to tiny face with two old friends. "Anri? Sol? What are you doing here?"

"Master sensed a growing darkness emanating from the shrine here and sent us to check on your progress." Looking up, the yellow fairy caught sight of the demonic bird flying above them. "Oh shit!"

"Solaris! Watch your language! Master'd have a fit!" 

"Ah… ah… Anri…? Now… is not… the time…"

She stopped as she saw the look of terror on his face. "What…? What's wrong?" Following his gaze, she screamed. "Aahh! Let's get out of here! That's Hurricane Eagle!" Sol looked around frantically, looking for something useful. "What are you waiting for?! Come on! We can't even get close to that thing, let alone fight it!"

The yellow fairy refused, flying over to Link's Mirror Shield. "We won't have to! This thing reflects light! We can use it to reflect a beam of sunlight off of Mirror Mountain over there, and blind the damn thing!" Link replaced his bow with his sword and shield, looking to the fairy to hear more. "The only way we've ever known how to stop that thing is to stun it long enough to quickly attack, before it can raise its gale barrier. If you shine light directly into its eyes with your shield, it might just do the trick."

The Hylian nodded, looking toward the shining mountain in the distance. "How long before the light will reflect?"

"Um… it's almost noon, so it shouldn't be much longer. Just wait until the light pours through this hole, and have the others keep it busy."

Elric readied an arrow. "I'm game. Tikal?"

The girl was way ahead of him, preparing a new spell. Raising her staff, she cried the final command. "Shield!" The green flash from the rod enveloped each of the heroes in a magical barrier. "That should protect us from deflected Chaos magic." Turning to the panicked red fairy, she pointed to where Lance had fallen. "You're Anri, yes? Get a hold of yourself and help us! Heal Lance!"

The elf's words seemed to shatter the hysteria within Anri. Steeling her nerves, she nodded quickly. "Right… right, I'm on it!"

Shadow's scythe was poised for attack. "Time for a diversion… Elric! Cover me!" Rushing forward, the Darkman leapt up in a spinning flurry of slashes, the acrobatics making the attack seem like a ball of blades. As he approached, the elfin archer launched a triad of arrows at their avian adversary. Though neither attack hit, the fact that the assaults came from opposite directions disoriented the bird for a moment.

"That works! Keep attacking it from opposite directions, two at a time! It'll stay confused long enough to let the light shine in!" Sol fluttered about excitedly. "It's gonna be awesome if this works…"

Evading an energy blast from the eagle's beak, Hugh spun upward, sword flaming. "Tikal, lend me a hand!" The following Inferno spell did the trick, though the wind reflection caused them all some minor damage. Keeping up the attack pattern, they managed to keep Hurricane Eagle busy until… "Link! Light's reflecting off your shield! Do it!"

"Keep an eye on the birdie." Angling his shield, he redirected the beam of light directly into the avian's eyes. The bird screeched in surprised pain. "You're finished! Everyone, NOW!"

"Flare Blade!"

"Fire Spin!"

"Quake Blaze!"

"Impact!" The red energies from Tikal's new spell were absorbed into each of the weapons right before they connected, doubling the attack power of each blow. Badly hurt, the eagle tried to escape.

"Oh no you don't…"

"I don't think so…" Both Elric and Link shot a final arrow at the fleeing bird, one laced in fire, the other wrapped in light. Both piercing the creature's heart, the demon burst apart into a smoke cloud. However, it was over the edge of the tower. As the smoke cleared, the crystal shard they were after began to fall over the side. "No!"

Shadow lunged for it, narrowly grasping it in his palm. "Gotcha!" Unfortunately, his momentum was too great, sending him hurtling over the edge. "Aw shit!"

"Shadow!" Despite their cries, there was nothing any of them could do to stop the reformed Darkman from falling to his doom.

**__**

End Chapter 17

RCM- A little cliffhanger to keep your interest peaked… hehehehehehahaha… oh, don't give me that look, you'll see what happens soon enough. I am almost done with the first draft of the next chapter, and I should have it ready to post by Friday at the absolute latest. Until next we meet, my friends. Farewell.


	18. Reaping the Rewards

RCM- I know you are probably anxious to see what happens to Shadow, so I'll get right to the point. I don't own Zelda or any other recognizable concepts. I think the Chapter Title gives a good enough summary.

**__**

Chapter 18

Reaping the Rewards

Suddenly, a black hook flew up and lodged itself in the floor. Looking over the side at where the hook came from, Lance couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. "So you gonna help me up or what?" Hanging from the Berserker was Shadow, unharmed with Wind Shard in hand.

"You crafty son of a bitch… Guys, give me a hand here." Reaching down, Lance, Elric and Hugh pulled the Darkman back onto the new roof of the tower, as the Hurricane Eagle's rampage had completely destroyed the top floor.

In the corner, Anri fluttered weakly to the floor, her glow pale. "We… we did it… It's gone… it's finally gone…"

Tikal watched the young fairy curiously, unsure why she was reacting that way. Detecting the confusion in her eyes, Sol flew next to her ear and whispered "About a year ago, the Hurricane Eagle nearly ate her alive. It's the only monster that's ever come remotely close to killing her so easily, and because of that it's the only one she's ever feared." Nodding in understanding, the elf let the young fairy comfort his sister, watching the pair shimmer away. Turning back towards the others, she shielded her eyes as a lightning bolt struck the center of the room.

The arcing electric energies took the form of a hooded Mage, his cloak white and grey like the clouds above. "Well done, Protectors. You have successfully destroyed the Bane of the Winds and have also saved the Wind Element in the process. Now if you would each come here, I shall bestow upon you the Powers of the Northern Breeze."

Link fidgeted uncomfortably. Noticing, Lance spoke up. "What about Link? He can't use Chaos magic."

The Mage turned to the Hylian, a smile slowly pulling at his features. "Ah yes… the Triforce Bearer… Though you may not be able to use the magic, you may still absorb the powers in the Crests…" Taking Lance's pendant, the Mage drew a magical replica of the crest of Fire out of the shard within. The crest of Wind rising from the gem in his other hand, the Mage then waved both insignias toward the boy. Spiraling around him, the symbols collided into the ruby in his ring. The resulting flash of light blinded everyone.

As his eyes finally adjusted, Link realized he was no longer on the Ice Tower roof. Clouds billowed around him, a serene calm lingering in the air. Looking down at his hand, he watched as the red stone in his ring began to glow. "**Young Hero of Winds…**" The voice of a Goddess called out to him, though it was not Farore's, like before. The strength he sensed in the voice told him that it was likely the Goddess of Power. "**Yes, young one, you are correct. I am Din. We are pleased that you have collected your second Element of Chaos so quickly. As promised, I shall now bestow the first of your three spells on your Ring.**"

The boy felt a presence take control of his arms, motioning them in a circle. His hands converged in front of him, and a red small orb of fire energy formed between them. "Whoa, cool."

"**Your abilities allow you to control the magic known as Din's Fire in two ways. The first is the same as when the original Hero of Time held its power. If you aim that orb downward, pushing it to the floor, a barrier of fire will erupt around you and incinerate all evil powers in its range.**" Testing it, the boy couldn't help but be impressed as the orb expanded around him upon contact with whatever he was standing on. Forming another fireball, he listened to Din's second explanation. "**The second method is performed by willing the ball at a distant target. The orb will travel in the direction of your throw, exploding in the same bubble of flame once its kinetic energy runs out. This will occur after about fifty feet, so I advise you make sure your target is no more than 55 feet away. If it is, not even the expansion will strike.**"

With a flick of his wrist, Link sent the energy ball forward, watching it explode into a blazing sphere. "Thank you, this will prove very useful."

"**Be wary of your magic supply while you use this, young one. Should you become weary, find more decanters to replenish your powers. This is all I can do for you now, so I bid thee good luck. The magic of Din's Fire may prove essential to your quest. Use it well.**" With those final words, Din allowed another flash to illuminate the area. Blinking away the bright light, Link found himself back with the others.

"Oh good, you're awake." Elric said as he fired an arrow at what was left of the wall. Link immediately noticed it was flying much faster than usual, a whitish glow trailing behind it. "While you were out, the Mage has been giving us our new Control Techniques. He just gave me mine. This Swift Arrow spell will really help target faster monsters, like that Blue Dragon we beat coming here."

Smiling, Link turned to watch the Mage place his hands on Hugh. As the transfer was completed, the Mage staggered back as if he had been struck. "What in the…?!"

Hugh hesitated in testing his new ability. "Is something wrong? What happened?"

The Mage looked at the boy in complete amazement, examining him carefully. "Could it be…? Could this boy… yes… yes, I do believe so…"

"What are you talking about?"

The Mage smiled broadly, the symbol of Wind again rising from the crystal shard he held. Lance watched in confusion as the crest wrapped itself around Hugh. "That's weird, he didn't do that with us…"

To the surprise of all of them, the crest of Fire rose from within Hugh to meet the Wind. As they converged, the Chaos Mage raised his arms to the boy. Red and sky blue energies gathered in his hands as he chanted a short spell. "Let Gods allow this boy a chance… To let the winds make fire dance!" The energies leapt forward and encased the young warrior's body in a brilliant glow. As the light subsided, Hugh raised his sword in front of him. Lance noticed the symbol of Fire glowing on the back of his friend's hand.

The next move startled everyone except the Mage. With a cry, Hugh lunged forward as if executing a Fire Spin, but the angle of the slice was far different. As he moved about the room, his sword arced and twirled in quick, complicated patterns. The flames following it drew intricate designs in the air, lingering for a moment before fading away. Returning to where he started, the boy ended his performance of swords with a spinning upward thrust, the motion almost perfectly combining Flare Blade with Fire Spin. Upon landing, he immediately fell to one knee. "Whoa! What… the hell… was that?!"

The Chaos Mage of Weather laughed, placing a hand on the tired warrior's shoulder. "You, my friend, have been gifted with the ultimate power of Flame. As the Chosen One of the Fire God, my power has unlocked from within you the Master Control Technique of Flame… the Pyro Dance!"

"Pyro Dance?"

"Whoa, wait a minute." Lance cried, holding his head with one hand. "You're the Chaos Mage of Weather. If that's a Fire power, why didn't the Red Mage teach it?"

"The Master Techniques can only be learned when two elements are combined in the particular Chosen One. Each of you are destined to be the Master or Mistress of a single Chaos Element, and upon collecting the two specific powers to unlock them, will gain the Master Control move. Young Hugh was destined to be the Master of Fire, the magic of Wind unlocking the speed required to perform the dance."

Lance nodded slowly, trying to absorb everything. "So basically, we can each learn a single Master Technique by combining two specific elements?"

"Precisely. The only destined hero who cannot is the Chosen One of Wind." The White Mage turned to Link. "You. The Hylian Hero of Winds." The boy absorbed the words silently, amazed at how his exploits at home had carried over into this place. "My brother has given you an orb containing his element's power, hasn't he?"

Hugh reached into his pocket and handed over the sphere, the red smoke inside glowing slightly. "It used to be much brighter."

The Mage looked at it closely. "Yes, its purpose is almost served… You need to find one more ally and grant him the powers contained here. Once he has been given them, this orb will shatter. I will add my magic to it for when that time arrives." With a wave of his hand, a sky blue mist arose within the orb, floating alongside the red. "I have done all I can for you here. The Chaos Mage of Water is awaiting you in the Island Shrine of Gohdan. I shall meet you again in Makai, when you come for the Shard of Thunder. For now, I shall take you back down to Aria Zephyr's court. Farewell, and good luck." Small cyclones whisked each of the heroes off of the building and down to the gates of the Snow Nymph castle.

The servant called Tiana opened the doors, having heard their rough landing. "Oh! Welcome back, warriors. Please, come this way. Lady Aria is expecting you." Following her inside, the party tried to overcome the weariness that was creeping up on them as a result of the intense battle.

The queen smiled as she saw them, rising to her feet. "You have returned! Most splendid! You truly are the Chosen Ones of Legend… With your second shard, you have completed your mission here in the Continent of Telonia. The nearest shards are located east of here on…"

"The Island Shrine in Gohdan. The Mage told us." Lance shot Hugh a short glare, but Aria didn't seem to mind the interruption.

"Yes, sir knight. I am glad you have spoken with him. The Shrine lies in the seas directly between Aurora and Quarry, so it would seem luck smiles upon you with that aspect of your search."

"Yes, perhaps, but there is still one very pressing issue." Shadow's tone was very even, almost to an unsettling degree. "To cross the seas, one requires a boat. We do not possess one, nor do I believe any of us have the funds necessary for purchase."

The queen let a small laugh of relief escape her. "Oh, do not worry about that, good warrior. That is why I requested you all return here before you left. I have arranged for a boat to be made ready for you as thanks for saving Aurora from the Wolfos attack. It is waiting on the shore for whenever you are prepared to depart."

Lance bowed, very thankful for the unexpected hospitality. "Thank you, your majesty."

Queen Aria bowed her head in return. "It was my pleasure, sir knight. Now I must ask that you rest well before you go. I imagine that you must be exhausted."

Hugh tried to stifle a yawn. "Yeah, just a little."

"I shall have someone prepare each of you a room here for the night. Should you need anything, feel free to ask. I'm sure Tiana or one of the others will be able to help. Rest well, my friends." With a smile from each of them, even Shadow, the queen sat back down on her throne to take care of some local business.

As the afternoon sun drew closer to the horizon, Lance lay in his room thinking. '_Tomorrow we head off to Gohdan… I can't believe we're already leaving Telonia, already holding two of the seven shards… And this new Element Master twist ought to make things even more interesting…_' A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. "Yeah?"

Hugh came in, a chessboard under his arm. "You thinking about tomorrow too?" The look he got confirmed the assumption. "Yeah, it's intimidating for me too… but think about it. We're that much closer to finishing this mission and returning home to the lives we left behind."

Lance laughed weakly. "Yeah, as the ultimate graduates of Graham Baldwin's Self-Defense course." Hugh also laughed lightly at the quip. "I just can't shake the feeling that something terrible's going to happen before this is over… I don't know what… or why…"

The two sat there a moment, reflecting on the unspoken questions surrounding the future. With a shrug, Hugh dropped the game board on the bed. "This should take our minds off the trip for a while. Up for a game?"

The blonde smiled. "When have I ever backed down from a challenge?"

**__**

End Chapter 18

RCM- Are you feeling better Anri?

Anri- Yes, my nerves are settling down… I'll be fine… but why didn't you tell me?

RCM- I knew if I told you Hurricane was there that you would be too frightened to go. I did what needed to be done. (smiles) As did you.

Sol - (flies in with a videocassette) Anri, I found the movie you wanted.

Anri- Really? You got me _The Princess Bride_?

RCM- Solaris? I thought you hated that movie.

Sol- I can stand it if it'll make Anri feel better. She's been through a lot, so I figure I can survive it. Besides, some parts are pretty funny.

Anri- (tears welling up) Thank you Solaris…

RCM- They're getting along so well today… Now that's a rare treat… 

Sol- Master, where's the popcorn?

Anri- Wasn't it by the microwave?

Sol- Oh yeah.

RCM- Well, as the time for… ugh… _school_… draws closer, the time I have available for crafting this grows ever smaller. Even now, the summer math homework I put off is waiting to be done, so I must leave you all for now. As much as I hate to say it, I don't know when I'll have the next update ready… I promise to get it to you all A.S.A.P. though, so bear with me. I hope to see you all again very soon. Farewell!

Anri- Master, hurry. It's starting.

RCM- Were you two listening? I have work to do. Enjoy yourselves, I'll be in the study.

Anri and Sol- Alright, Master. Bye everyone!


	19. Old Tricks with New Twists

Apollo- Wow… this place is a lot darker than Aria's…

Sol- You'll get used to it.

Anri- I'm glad you could come visit, I missed you guys.

Tiana- Aw, we missed you too, Anri.

Apollo- Um… can I ask one of you to get me something to eat? I'm kinda hungry…

RCM- I thought I heard voices out here. You must be Apollo.

(the orange fairy nods silently, slightly intimidated by the Mage)

Anri- How's the work coming along, Master?

RCM- Oh… that… well, I still have a lot to do, and about 4 days to get it done in, but I can make it work. Since I knew we would have company, I went to the liberty of postponing that to let these little ones aid in the next chapter.

Tiana and Apollo- Cool!

Anri- Who does the disclaimer this time?

RCM- Hmm… well, since you two are here most often, and since Tiana's done it for me once before… I think Apollo should have the honor.

Apollo- Me? Really? I've never done this before…

Sol- It's easy. Just read this out loud. (quickly writes a small note and hands it to Apollo) Every word.

Apollo- "The Red Chaos Mage does not own Zelda, nor does he own the various other concepts readers may recognize." (quick sideways glance at Sol, who smirks back) "And Tiana has a bug on her back…"

Tiana- (screams, flittering about wildly, trying to get the supposed bug off of her. After hearing the two boys burst out laughing…) APOLLON! SOLARIS! YOU TWO ARE SO DEAD!!!

Apollo- Uh oh…

Sol- RUN! (both fly off, with Tiana in hot pursuit)

RCM- Oh for crying out loud…

Anri- You can't really say you're surprised though, right?

RCM- Anri, follow them, try to calm Tiana down… And tell Solaris I would like to have a word with him about that little stunt.

Anri- Yes sir. (flies off after the others)

RCM- Well, I suppose the only thing left to do here is get the chapter started. In this episode, we shall witness a Gyorg attack and the remaining Wind Techniques that the heroes have learned.

Anri- No Sol, not in there! Apollo, Tiana, watch out for that… (loud crash and the sound of shattering glass) potion cabinet…

RCM- I guess I'll have to take care of this personally… Excuse me.

**__**

Chapter 19

Old Tricks With New Twists

Bidding farewell to the Northern lands that most of them called home, the group boarded the decent-sized ship the Nymphs had provided. Looking over it approvingly, Link said "This isn't too bad… it reminds me of Tetra's."

Shadow turned to the boy. "A friend of yours has a boat like this?"

"You forget where I came from is mostly covered in ocean water. Sailing is virtually the only way to get around."

Hugh raised an eyebrow as he tied down some of the loose supplies. "Virtually? What other ways are there?"

"Alright, so I found a shortcut or two. It's not like I didn't have to cruise the waters after using them anyway."

Lance and Hugh hoisted the sail and found that they had a bit of a problem. "Um, call it a hunch, but I think we need a bit of a breeze to get going." Rolling his eyes, Link started shuffling through his pockets for the tool he knew would do the trick. "Hey, whatcha looking for?"

The boy in green pulled out the sparkling baton. "This." After blinking in confusion, both humans broke down in fits of laughter. "What? Didn't I tell you how I controlled the winds?" No response, as they were laughing too hard to hear him. "Hmph. Fine then, I'll show you." Conducting the Wind's Requiem, he felt the breeze rise up around the boat.

"Well I'll be!" A cloud lowered to them, carrying what looked like a large blue-green frog. "Of all the places I'd hear your call, I never expected it to be in this realm, young one."

As the others watched in awe, Link smiled at the frog. "It's good to see you again Zephos. How are you and your brother doing?"

The entity chuckled. "That blowhard is still miffed about being caught by that rat of a witch you and Zelda slew back in the forest. Won't stop complaining about it. I bet he's gonna start brewing twisters around just to vent his frustration. Granted, I can't blame him, she was a real pest."

The boy nodded. "Yeah… well, since Valoo told me you control the winds here too, I was wondering…"

"Say no more, my boy. Which direction do you need?" Looking up at the sail, the god ventured the guess. "East is it?"

"Yes, we're going east to the Island Shrine." Before Link could finish, Zephos waved his hand and the sails were filled with a brisk breeze.

"Happy sailing, boys and girl. Be seein' ya!" Laughing heartily, the frog flew off along the wind. Smiling smugly at his human allies, he went below decks to call Tetra as promised the day before.

About an hour later, trouble arose. "Link! Shadow! Get up here fast, we're under attack!" Heeding Tikal's cry, the two raced up to the deck to the sounds of splashes and low growls.

"We've got about forty sharks charging at us from the island area. I'd bet anything that the lot of them are Chaos-bred."

A single look over the side confirmed Link's suspicion. "Gyorgs. Typical water monsters back home… Wait a sec…" Pulling out his telescope, the boy focused on a darker section of the sea. What he saw brought forth an uncharacteristic oath from the Hylian. "There's another one, much bigger, that looks like its commanding the whole school. It looks real nasty…"

Hugh whispered to Lance "We must be rubbing off on him if he's starting to use those kinds of words."

"Hugh, now's not the time. Right now we fight!" Leaping overboard, Lance drew his sword.

"Lance?! Are you outta your mind?!"

The response was a whirling white cyclone rising from the spot where the boy had touched water, six of the oncoming fish caught in the updraft. Within seconds, Lance spiraled up the tornado, blade first, landing neatly on the edge of the ship's railing. The sharks were reduced to the usual smoke. "I think my Hurricane Blade has a rather uplifting effect, don't you?"

Rolling his eyes, Hugh turned towards Tikal, who was lifting about a dozen Gyorgs from the water with a magical cyclone of her own. "Could one of you wrap this up for me? Tornado Hold doesn't do any damage on its own!" Nodding, Hugh and Shadow let loose their Chaos attacks. Charging energy into his sword, Hugh stood where he was and performed a fierce vertical slash. The Wind Cutter's energy leapt off of the blade, slicing through half of the immobilized sharks. Also absorbing wind power into his scythe, Shadow reared back as if about to charge at the hoard. However, he halted his lunge in mid-move. The stored energy leapt forward, taking form as a translucent copy of the Darkman. The windy apparition charged right through the remaining six sharks, its blade leaving nothing but smoke in its wake. After continuing another few feet, the specter vanished, the Chaos energy used for the Twin Dream attack expired.

Link quickly disposed of a good number of the Gyorgs still in the water, while Elric's Swift Arrows clipped the ones the boomerang hadn't hit. Though they managed to destroy the last of the little sharks, the lead Gyorg had evaded their detection, and was about to ram the boat. Leaping with a roar, the gargantuan fish slammed its horns into the hull, rupturing the wooden vessel. Luckily, the impact was too high to take in water. "Argh! I hate fish!"

"Hugh, shut up and blast the damn thing!" Lance again dove over the side, but his spinning assault hit nothing but dead air. "Okay, that didn't work…"

Tikal let loose a flaming burst of her magic, but the Inferno spell narrowly missed the target. However, the reaction of the large Gyorg told them that she had managed to scare the monster a great deal. "Hey, I think it might be scared of fire!"

His eyes lighting up, Link realized he had the perfect opportunity to give his new magic a field test. Jumping onto the railing, he summoned the energies necessary into his palm. "Alright you overgrown guppy… Have a taste of Din's Fire!" He flung the ball downward, hitting the beast dead center on the dorsal fin. The others let out a sigh of relief as the orb expanded over the entire beast, eliminating the threat.

"Nice work kid…" Shadow said, slight contempt in his voice. He had wanted to kill the big one, but the awkward terrain disallowed either of his Chaos techniques. He was clearly annoyed by that fact. "Next time let the rest of us in on the fun."

Letting the Darkman go vent by himself, the rest of the party watched the Island Shrine approaching in the distance. "It's almost time…" Lance said softly, "…for Chaos Shard number three…"

**__**

End Chapter 19

RCM- I trust you will refrain from this behavior for the rest of your visit?

Apollo- Yes sir…

Tiana- We're sorry…

Apollo- You're going to tell Aria, aren't you…?

RCM- As much as I should, I will not. It was Solaris who instigated this fiasco, so the blame will rest on his shoulders.

Sol- It was a good idea at the time…

Anri- Aren't they all?

RCM- Though she will likely be disappointed in your behavior, I will recommend she not discipline you two for this mess. (takes hold of Solaris) YOU on the other hand…

Anri- Uh oh…

Sol- Um… can we do this after the readers leave?

RCM- Well… I suppose so. I don't know what I want you to do yet anyway…

Tiana- Um, if I may… what was that list thing on the table in there?

RCM- You mean…? Oh no… Solaris, don't tell me you forgot to put away the Storyline Planner again…

Sol- Uh… I don't… think I did…

Apollo- I read it, it was just a list of upcoming Chaos Control Techniques. I won't tell anybody what they are.

RCM- Still, I don't like people finding out my plans ahead of time…

Anri- Oh, Master, one of the reviewers gave a suggestion for a character name.

RCM- Really? Hmm… (reads it) That might be useful later for a minor character, but I already have a name chosen for the final Destined one. However, I could use names for the three Dark Mage brothers that will prove to be quite the problem for the Protectors. They have the powers of Water, Wind and Fire, so if the names somehow tie in with those, all the better. If you have suggestions for them, I will gladly welcome them.

Sol- But we might come up with some of our own before they make their appearance. We still have about 7 chapters to go before they crash the party.

Anri- We really should start cleaning this mess up…

RCM- Yes, we should. Sol and Apollo will clean up the potions, Tiana will use the repair magic she learned last time she was here to fix the broken furniture and you, Anri, will put the scattered paperwork back where it belongs. I have to finish my homework. If you all finish before dinner, I will treat you all to pizza.

Fairies- Cool! We'll get right on it! (fly off to do their chores)

RCM- Well, I must be going. The next time we meet, I will likely be entrapped in the hell known as High School. See you all then.


	20. Kidnapped

Tiana- Oooh, Apollo, Aria's gonna let you have it when we get home!

Apollo- But it really was Sol's idea! It's right here on the card!

RCM- We know, Apollo. Calm down. I told Aria that, and I don't hold you accountable. Still, if she's mad about your disregarding her instructions… well, it's out of my hands.

Apollo- Thanks, but that doesn't help much…

Anri- Oh, cheer up. At least you get to stay with us a little longer.

Tiana- She's right, we can have a little more fun here before you get busted.

Anri- Tiana!

RCM- Stop teasing the boy, child. Now I need one of you to check on Solaris's progress.

Tiana- What did have him do again?

RCM- He was to recreate all of the potions that were destroyed during your little episode. (both guest fairies blush slightly)

Anri- I'm the only one here that knows the way to the mixing room, so I'll go. See you after the update. (flies away)

RCM- Alright, that will work. Now, if you two would be so kind as to disclaim for us?

Tiana and Apollo- Red Chaos Mage does not own any of the material recognized from Zelda or any other video games, TV shows or other stuff.

RCM- Good. In this episode, as the title implies, one of our heroes gets pulled into the temple in a less-than-comfortable manner.

**__**

Chapter 20

Kidnapped

The Island Shrine didn't look very big from the outside, though Link knew from experience that looks could be deceiving. As the others secured the boat to the shore, he and Tikal took a closer look at the ancient structure. "I was expecting something more…"

"I'll bet you anything that a majority of this place will be under the ground. The two temples at home were built like that, and it's really not that surprising an idea. If it appears small, it shouldn't attract much attention." He looked back to see the others approaching, ready to go. "Let's see if I'm right."

The first chamber seemed to be devoid of anything special, containing only the stairwell in the back as the Hylian predicted. However, the room wasn't empty. Creeping out from the corners of the room behind them, two dark blue creatures silently approached the group. Partially hidden by small watery vortexes around them, their presence was made known by Tikal's scream as one of them grabbed her. Turning back in alarm, they watched helplessly as the girl vanished into the blue vortex, the kidnapper escaping through a grate in the floor leading deeper into the temple. "Goddamn bastards!" Shadow charged forward, sending a Twin Dream slicing through the remaining creature.

"That looks like a Floormaster! But I thought they were always black…" Noticing a problem, Link drew his sword. The difference was of little importance at the moment. "Either way, it's not dead yet!"

"What are you talking about? I cut it in…" The Darkman's words were cut short as the creature's hand wrapped itself around his waist. "The hell?!" A swish of his scythe freed him, but the dismembered monster merely reformed itself. "What the hell is that thing?!"

"Link said it looked like something called a Floormaster, so why not call it a Watermaster?" Elric's suggestion went unanswered as he shot an arrow at the incoming blue palm.

On a hunch, Lance looked about the room for a clue on how to slay the beast. All he found was a single rune with the word 'Thunder.' "Damn, we don't have the element this thing's weak against yet!"

"Well, if physical attacks don't do anything…" A burst of Din's Fire brought Link the familiar whining cry of an injured portal dweller. "Let's torch it!" Furious at the demons for taking their ally, Hugh obliged with a ferocious Pyro Dance. The devastating move left only a blinding cloud of smoke in its wake. Coughing, Link saw there were no traces of any monsters left. "I guess that works…"

"What about Tikal?!"

"Calm down. If those are anything like the Floormasters, they probably took her to another room in the temple. It's what these things do. My friends Medli and Makar were both taken the same way, and I found them in the same dungeon they got caught in. I'm sure she'll be okay until we find her." Relaxing slightly at his words, the others nodded. "Still, it wouldn't hurt to book it anyway." With that, he sprinted down the stairs with the others close behind.

At the bottom was a large room filled almost completely with water. As the water lapped against the foot of the steps they stood on, they peered below the surface to see what appeared to be a small tower and entrances to a number of side rooms. "Looks like we'll have to lower the water level to get anywhere." Leaping to a small platform in front of a nearby door, Elric readied his bow. "You four coming?" Within the room was a trio of Stalfos Knights, each one armed with a different melee weapon. "Okay, who wants who?"

Activating his Magic Armor and lighting a bomb, Link charged toward the one with a sword. Nodding to each other, Lance and Hugh chose to take on the axe-wielding skeleton. "Leftovers are fine by me…" Shadow growled with an almost sadistic glee. Black axe in hand, he dove upon the remaining beast, the fury of the Quake Blaze dislodging the chain mace from the target's grip. The power also dislocated most of the creature's bones, leaving the skull vulnerable. Stepping back, he let Elric finish the job with a single wind-charged arrow.

After detonating his own opponent, Link turned to the two humans. Lance was standing straight, his sword held upright in front of him as a cyclone of white energy raged around him. The Stalfos was pinned against the ceiling by the winds, helpless. Opening his eyes, the boy leapt into the air, using the wind's power to lift his spinning form up to the skeleton. As his slashes connected, Hugh performed a Fire Spin right next to the base of the cyclone, letting the flames get sucked into the updraft. Completing his attack, the blonde dropped outside of the vortex as the fire engulfed the pieces of skeleton he had left behind. The roasted bones vanished like the rest. "Tag team takedown!"

"You said it, partner!" Exchanging a high five, the two rejoined the others. Moments later, a loud click followed by the sound of rushing water was heard. "Please let that mean what I hope it means…" Rushing back out the door, Hugh gave a cry of joy. The water had receded, opening a new set of rooms. "Come on, let's move it!"

Leaping into the water below, the group swam over to the entrance of the next room. Like before, a small group of monsters lay in wait. "Tektites. Easy pickings…" Sending a Twin Dream through the center of the hoard, Shadow then performed the same spinning attack he had used to distract Hurricane Eagle. This time, the results were much better. As the last one blew apart, another click sounded. "Especially for me."

"Shut up, showoff. The next level just opened." Leaving the room, they found that the water hadn't receded a bit. "What? But there was a click…" A roar from beneath the surface answered all questions as to what the switch did. "Oh…"

With an impressive splash, a huge squid rose from the depths. Its green skin was translucent enough to allow the team to see the reddish brain within. "Ugh… gross…" Though it had no eyes, the beast had no problem isolating the source of the voice, lashing a tentacle toward the boy. Too surprised by the swift move to evade, he took the blow straight to the chest. Almost instantly, he felt the tentacle latch onto him and begin draining his life energy. "Argh! Get this leech off me!"

With a hard chop, Lance severed the parasitic appendage. In retaliation, the squid sent two more his way. "Oh no you don't, you're not getting me like that!" The fire from the Flare Blade seemed to flow through the tissue of the parasite directly into the beast's inner core, resulting in a roar of fury and pain. "Bingo!"

With a smirk, Shadow shifted to an axe. "Let's give this thing some heartburn!" As Link and Elric provided cover fire with their arrows, the Darkman launched himself above the writhing monster. With a feral roar, he brought his blade down hard on the beast, directly above its internals. As the fire eradicated the squid's life support, it exploded into dust. However, that left Shadow with nothing to stand on, sending the ebon warrior hurtling into the receding water below. He scoffed at the snicker above him, tossing his upturned cape off of his head back where it belonged. "Yeah, yeah, very funny. Get your asses down here, we have work to do!"

As Link and Hugh pulled down the grappling hooks off of their previous perch, Shadow handed Lance the contents of the chest on top of the small tower nearby. Recognizing the item, he cursed himself silently for his forgetfulness. Hugh looked over his shoulder and saw why. "That's the same kind of metal we found in Ice Tower, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I can't believe I forgot to ask Aria about it…"

"Yeah, you just HAD to forget, didn't you?" Hugh somehow resisted the urge to whack Lance over the head like usual. "You're impossible, Aran."

Annoyed, Elric intervened before a fight could break out. "Can you two discuss this later? Like _after_ we rescue Tikal? We have two more floors to clear before all the water's drained." Agreeing, they followed the elf through the next door. Instead of monsters, they found a narrow bridge over a large hole in the floor. Looking over, Elric saw that the bottom of the small abyss was filled with water, and a ladder led up to the platform they were currently on. "Hmm… what could this mean?"

Lance took a step onto the bridge, trying to get a better look at the other side. "Hey, I think I see a switch… whoa!" To his surprise, the piece of the bridge he was standing on had disappeared from beneath him. Losing his balance, he fell into the water below, watching the piece reappear as he surfaced. "Now that's a cheap trick…"

Examining the platform, Shadow realized what had happened. "This bridge is made of nightstone. When something steps on a nightstone block, the magic within the stone causes it to vanish for a moment, then reappear a few moments later, when the trigger would have fallen through. It works great with traps."

Climbing up the ladder, Lance shook some of the water off of his arms. "Yeah, I can see why. How can we get over to the switch?"

"If one is fast enough, he can cross nightstone before the spell drops him. As it so happens, I have the means for us to do just that." Closing his eyes, the Darkman seemed to meditate for a moment. Without warning, his eyes snapped open again and he thrust his arm out with a cry. "Agility!"

A small ring of yellow energy erupted from his palm, engulfing all of them. They each felt a surge of power, reminded instantly of Tikal's shield spell. Confused, Lance looked at Shadow, who was glowing in the yellow aura. "What'd you just do?!"

Taking advantage of the effects of his spell, Shadow sped across the bridge and stepped on the switch. After the nightstone reformed, he dashed back. "All Darkmen are trained in some of the darker magical arts. Though my spells likely differ from those Tikal knows, they may prove just as useful for our purposes."

With an agitated huff, Lance turned to leave the room. "That's great. If you aren't hiding any other potentially useful tricks up your sleeves, let's get going." Smiling to himself, the Darkman quietly followed.

**__**

End Chapter 20

Sol- That's all of them… every one has been restocked and placed where they belong.

RCM- Excellent work, Sol. Consider your punishment served.

Sol- Whew… thanks, that was a workout.

Tiana- I think we're ready to go.

Apollo- Thanks for having us.

RCM- It was my pleasure. Tell Aria that I look forward to hearing from her again, and also thank her for the names she offered. Two of them were perfect for our purposes.

Tiana- Really? Which ones?

Anri- Come on, Tiana. You know that'd be telling… You'll see them with the rest of the readers.

Tiana- Oh well, didn't hurt to ask.

Sol- You're sure you don't want to hang around a little longer?

Apollo- No, we really should head home. Besides, after seeing the ghosts downstairs play, I'm not that scared anymore.

RCM- Wait, how'd you manage that?

Tiana- I told him not to, but he looked down the stairwell while you were checking something in the dungeons.

Apollo- They were right there, at the bottom.

RCM- Oh… well, I guess… that's alright… as long as you didn't actually go into the dungeons.

Apollo and Tiana- Nope, not without supervision.

RCM- Well, tell Aria to send word when her email is up. You know where to.

Apollo- You got it.

Tiana- Bye, everyone!

(both vanish)

RCM- Now I must also bid you farewell. Since school starts tomorrow, I likely won't be able to update as frequently as I'd like. However, I'll keep working in my spare time and get the story up as soon as I can.

Anri- For now, we'll bid you farewell.

Sol- Thanks for reading and for your reviews, we'll see you soon!

(all three vanish)


	21. Shell Shocked

Sol- Master, you don't look so good…

RCM- I'm still adjusting back into high school life, my child… it's a tiring process…

Anri- How bad is it?

RCM- Well, a few classes are easy enough to handle, but a couple are just plain harsh… The one good thing is that I have found a way to keep writing.

Sol- How's that?

RCM- It just so happens I have about 20 minutes of free time before homeroom each day, so I can use that to work on the story. Then, when the weekend rolls around, I can type up what I wrote over the course of the week. However, there's no guarantee I can finish a chapter per week.

Sol- Today's not a weekend day.

RCM- I know, but the chapter is ready now, so…

Anri- That sounds good… You look like you could really use a rest. Leave the update up to Sol and me today.

RCM- Very well… I shall be in the other room if you need me. (retires)

Anri- Good. Well, since he's going to rest, I'll take over for now. We don't own Zelda, or any other video game or television concepts.

Sol- In this chapter, the party saves Tikal and takes on the heavily armored…

Anri- Sol, let them read and find out for themselves. Enjoy!

**__**

Chapter 21

Shell Shocked

Since the water was almost completely drained, the boys could all see the ornate blue door at the base of the small marble tower. None of them had any doubt that the inner shrine, and probably Tikal, was beyond the door. The final puzzle room was different than the rest, the trigger sealed behind tight iron grating. "Okay, how do we hit that?"

Link froze as he heard a familiar sound, turning on his heel to look behind them. "Watch out!" Pushing the others to the floor, he barely evaded the spread of fireballs sent by the Wizzrobe vanishing from above the entrance. "Stay alert. Those things can pop up anywhere. Listen for them." The others nodded, prepping their weapons. Upon the telltale sound, Elric sent off a volley of five Swift Arrows at the avian mage. The smirk on the toucan's beak was replaced with a grimace of pain, as all five struck cleanly. Screaming, it faded out, a puff of smoke erupting where it fell. "Nice shot, Elric."

As the grate opened, they saw the kidnapper sitting in front of the switch. Fury mounting, they charged forward with various fire attacks. Before finishing it off, Hugh demanded "Where's Tikal?!" Struggling, the creature weakly pointed towards the door. "The tower?" A weak thumbs-up verified his guess. Satisfied, the boy shredded the beast with a Fire Spin.

Quickly rushing out again, they leapt down to the now dry floor. The blue door before them opened quietly, granting them access to the inner shrine. The first thing they saw was the steel cage on the ceiling, and young girl trapped inside. "Tikal! Are you okay?"

Opening her eyes, the elf looked around, confused. "What…? Where am I?" As her memories flooded back, a strange chirping noise rang from the other end of the room.

The creature stood on two legs, its four other sharp limbs waving at its side. The body resembled that of a tortoise, but the armored shell and large red pinchers on its forearms also lent the appearance of a crab. Sitting atop a short, armored neck was a single lidless eye. "Okay… I'm guessing that thing has the shard already…"

The creature gave what passed off as a nod, its chirp sounding much more like words. "_Yes… Crabturtle… has…You… intruders… now… die…_" Rushing forward, the creature calling itself the Crabturtle thrust its claws at Lance, who was barely able to block with his sword.

"Hugh! Elric! Get Tikal out of that cage! Link and Shadow, give me a hand!" A white tornado wrapped around the blonde and the monster, but his blows bounced off the hard shell. The Crabturtle struck back with a powerful swipe, sending Lance crashing to the floor.

Meanwhile, Hugh and Elric were trying to figure out how to get up to the cage. "This isn't going to be easy…" Then a seemingly obvious idea hit the archer like a ton of bricks. '_Of course!_' Surprised he hadn't thought of it sooner, he yelled "Tikal! Egress out of the cage!"

"I can't see the floor, it won't work!"

"Just warp right outside of the bars!"

"What?! Elric, I'll fall!"

"We'll catch you! Just do it!" A bit apprehensive, she cast the spell. As predicted, she reappeared just outside of the bars and began falling. The pair below used their arms as a net to catch her easily and set her down. "See? Piece o' cake."

Moments later, both Link and Shadow skidded across the floor next to them. "We could use a little help here." Quickly getting back to his feet, Shadow released a Twin Dream, followed closely by a slash with his scythe. Sensing the oncoming attacks, the creature withdrew its neck to protect itself. "I think the eye is a weak spot, but its moving too fast for us to nail it!"

"Say no more, I'll fix that." Tikal wrapped the Crabturtle in the binding magic of her Hinder spell, greatly slowing its movement. Though it was too strong for the ring to completely immobilize the creature, it was enough of a distraction to prevent it from detecting attacks like before. "Alright, guys. He's all yours!"

There was nothing the beast could do to protect itself. Flare Blades, Wind Cutters, Twin Dreams and Swift Arrows barraged the vulnerable eye, eliciting several cries of pain. However, the Crabturtle broke free of its confines before the final Din's Fire blast could connect. "Alright, Tikal, give him another… what?" The monster fell forward, withdrawing all of its limbs into its shell, leaving only the sharp ends protruding from the impenetrable carapace. "Uh oh…" The shell began to spin, using the friction against the floor to build a hefty charge of static electricity. "Everyone, move it!"

Though the sparking creature was spiraling directly toward Shadow, he didn't move an inch. Instead, his weapon morphed itself into a sword. "Your mistake for using a power that your element is weak against… Absorb!" Sidestepping the attack, he ran his blade across the charged shell. His spell quickly took effect, capturing the energy within the weapon for a single retaliatory attack. "Now, you die." Quickly casting Agility, the Darkman dashed around the shell to where the eye had withdrawn and shoved the blade inside. Though the resulting thrash tossed him aside, the Berserker remained lodged in the writhing Crabturtle's weak point.

"I didn't know you used magic…" Tikal said, "What did your spell do?"

"That particular spell absorbs an energy-based attack, like lightning or fire, into the weapon and refocuses it for use in a single attack. It doesn't work for extremely powerful blasts though."

"Doesn't matter…" Lance said as he watched the monster fry from its own attack. "That was a nice shot. Now let's finish this." He and Hugh severed the neck with a scissor-like motion, Shadow's weapon clattering to the floor through the resulting blue smoke. Landing next to it was the deep blue Elemental Shard.

"Impressive, children." A pillar of water rose from underneath the gem, forming the Guardian Mage. "I expected no less of the Chosen Ones."

"The Blue Chaos Mage, I presume."

"Yes, Lance. I am the Mage of Water. Now, as you have secured this place, I will begin by bestowing the Crest on the Triforce-bearer." Just like the Weather Mage had previously, the blue wizard caused the symbol of water, a raindrop, to rise from the crystal and come to rest in Link's ring. He then gestured for the others to approach. "Now for the rest of you."

The first powers bestowed were on Lance and Shadow. Since they were similar in nature, the Mage felt it best to teach them simultaneously. The water energies encased their blades in a layer of magical ice, but that appeared to be it. "That's all?"

"Crystal Sword and Frozen Sickle are more open to creativity than your other Chaos attacks. In your case, Lance, contact with an opponent will cause the ice to shatter into sharp fragments. These fragments will traverse a short distance before redirecting themselves to impact another target. This will bring additional damage. Your weapon, Shadow, allows you to launch the frozen blade forward as an arcing projectile. Both have the potential to freeze your foes solid." Lance thrust his sword straight down to test the spray of the attack as Shadow gave his scythe a hard slash. The black weapon's blade broke off and spiraled forward while the coating on Lance's sword shattered and spread in a shining arc for about ten feet. 

"Not bad…"

"Now for the other swordsman." Hugh's ability enveloped his sword in a shimmering layer of blue energy, but required a specific motion to unleash. With a vertical slash, he sent the magic to the floor, where it raced forward like a wave toward the coast. "Aqua Sword sends energy into a surface and forms a wave along that surface. Most often, you will be using the ground you stand on." With a nod, the boy put away his weapon.

Elric's Ice Arrow was virtually identical to Link's, though it had a much more explosive range after impact. After bestowing the straight-flying Bubblebeam spell on Tikal, the Mage tilted his head in interest as the girl tested it. "What? Did I do it wrong?"

Chuckling softly at her innocence, he lifted his hand. The crystal shard hovered in his palm, the insignia of water rising from the gem. "In this girl the strength resides… to control the flow of tides…" At his words, the swirls of the Wind crest rose from within her, both symbols converging on her heart. Moments later, blue energies swirled around the tip of her staff, which she thrust forward. The Crest of Water glowing bright blue on the back of her hand, a flurry of powerful winds and snow erupted from the wand. Then, with a twirl of her wrist, the magic shifted into an intense blast of water. Lastly, she raised the rod over her head and released a white mist that seemed to flow into her and each of her allies. 

"Whoa… nice!" All of the injuries sustained in the battle were healing fast, every warrior feeling stronger than when they started. After placing the shard in Lance's pendant, the Mage turned to Tikal.

"Congratulations, Mistress of Water. You now possess the powers of the Aqua Triad. Not one, but three high-powered water spells are at your disposal. The first, Blizzard, combines your elemental specialty with the northern winds to form a frigid blast that is almost guaranteed to freeze the foe solid, if not just deal incredible damage. Tidal Surge releases a blast of water at extremely high pressure, enough to break through weak stone walls. It also grants you control over various waterways. Finally, Shielding Mist will heal your entire party, as well as increasing your attack and defensive abilities temporarily. I hold no doubts that you will use the Triad well." He held out his hand, creating whirlpools beneath each Protector. "You must now hurry to the Temple of Mines. I sense a great evil approaching its hiding place beneath the Quarry Mountains. I will bring you back to your ship. There is no time to waste!"

"Wait, hold on!" The Mage withdrew his hand slightly, his palm closing. The vortexes beneath them stopped. "We found these in the Ice Tower and here. What are they?" Lance asked, handing over the metal pieces they had collected.

The Mage took a quick look before returning the material. "That is purified mithril. Ask the dwarves of Gohdan to use it to increase the power and durability of your tools. As gifted metalworkers, they can forge the ones you hold into nearly indestructible weapons. However, your blade, Lance, seems to already be made of mithril."

"I know… my teacher got it from a Gohdan dwarf…"

"I see… well, if there is nothing else…" With the boy's satisfied nod, the Blue Chaos Mage reformed the portals and returned the party to the ship.

**__**

End Chapter 21

Sol- Master's really out of it today.

Anri- It's because he has so much left to do.

Sol- Well, I guess we should let him rest and wrap up without him…

RCM- Thank you for your concern, but that will not be necessary.

Anri and Sol- Master!

RCM- Though my schedule has altered, I will continue to forge ahead, albeit slowly. With two Master Controls unlocked, four remain… and the final Destined shall arrive shortly, upon landing on Gohdan's shores.

Sol- Yes… the dwarf…

Anri- We have all three names for the Dark Mages, so we're all set for their debut outside of the Temple of Mines.

RCM- As I have much homework left, I must go now. I will try to have another chapter ready by Monday, but I can't make any promises…

Sol- We'll see you all later.

Anri- Bye.


	22. Trouble at Sea

RCM- Insolent pest… (burns review)

Anri- What was that thing talking about?

RCM- It matters not… whoever it is isn't the author, I am. If other powers elsewhere have the arrogance to see themselves more powerful than Chaos, that's their prerogative. I couldn't care less.

Anri- Should we warn Aria about the part regarding her realm?

RCM- From what I've seen, I think she already knows. For now, all we can do is wait for more to reveal itself… In the meantime, Sol, get me another review… preferably one from a regular.

Sol- (handing over another) This reviewer's got a good eye! He nailed Crabturtle's source!

RCM- Yes, the Crab Turtle ritual monster from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game was, in fact, the boss of the Island Shrine. You will recognize a number of other monsters from that card game throughout the story, if you haven't already.

Anri- We've already installed at least three card game monsters in the story. Here's a hint: Two were seen before the adventure in the Temple of Elders was complete. Can you find them?

RCM- I'm lifting my previous ban on source identifications from reviewers, since I think it may be fun to see how many sources are recognized. To make it more interesting, I will keep track of how many correct guesses my most frequent reviewers have, and post the final scores at the end in the Credits. Let's make a game out of this.

Sol- Yeah! This is gonna be fun! If you wanted to make a guess in an earlier review, but couldn't due to the restriction, send the guess again. Let the games begin!

RCM- Solaris, that's my line.

Sol- Hehe… sorry, I couldn't help it.

RCM- It's not important. Anyway, I don't own any of the concepts and aspects of games you recognize. Now the Chaos Protectors will run into turbulent waters… caused by a water monster common in these kinds of stories.

Anri- Enjoy!

RCM- Oh, and one more thing: This chapter is respectfully dedicated to my dear friend and fellow authoress Aria Zephyr. Happy Birthday!

**__**

Chapter 22

Trouble at Sea

As the ship set off, Shadow pulled Lance aside. "Your powers are growing steadily. I trust you are planning on eventually finding the Darkman who murdered your father, yes?" The boy nodded. "Well, then come with me to test your skill. A sparring match will acquaint you with what to expect when engaged in battle with those of my kind."

Needless to say, Lance was all too happy to oblige. Tikal made them both promise not to use Chaos attacks so the ship wouldn't be any more damaged, but other than that, there were no restrictions. As they faced each other, Lance opened with an overhead slash to the right. "So what do you know about my father's killer?"

Shadow blocked the blow, spun to his left and returned fire with a straight thrust. "You said he had blood-red eyes? That could be any of five higher ranking Darkman warriors." The ebon combatant chuckled lightly as Lance tried the same blade balancing attack he had used on Graham oh so long ago. Unfortunately for the blonde, the blow was easily evaded by extending the Berserker's length.

"Whoa… hey!" Losing his balance, Lance fell to the floor. His opponent moved in quickly to strike, but the boy rolled out of the way and took a swipe at Shadow from behind.

The warrior blocked again, having turned fast enough to see the blow coming. "You know, Lance… if you honestly plan on avenging your father, your sword skills must improve dramatically." He charged the boy with a flurry of slashes, most of which were blocked. Two knicked Lance's arm, making the youth wince in pain. "If you can't even land a blow on me, how can you possibly hope to slay a Darkman whose power is assuredly far greater than my own?!"

As intended, Shadow's words were building fury within the blonde warrior. "I will avenge him… I swore I would…"

"Then stop playing around! HIT ME!" The Darkman leapt over Lance's head to strike at his back, but the boy was ready. Harnessing his anger, he spun on his heel and cleanly sent his opponent flying into the wall. The impact rocked the ship fiercely. Pushing his cape off of his head, Shadow stared at Lance in confusion. '_There's no way he has enough power to shake the ship like that…_'

The Darkman's amazed thought was verified as a large yellow tentacle slammed through the wall, inches from his head. "What the hell?!" After slashing apart the appendage, the pair raced on deck to find out what was going on.

The sight wasn't encouraging. An immense Kraken had taken hold of the wooden ship and was trying to rip it to shreds. "It's about time you two showed up! This squid's got a serious problem with us!"

Lance surveyed the situation quickly and came to a conclusion as to the best course of action. "Alright, we need to divide the work here. Link, Hugh and I will cut off the tentacles. The rest of you use your projectile attacks to take out its head!" Agreeing quickly, they split up to different parts of the ship to do their jobs.

"I think an Aqua Sword will do nicely…" Sending the wave forward, Hugh watched the single attack strike three tentacles along the ship's side, each one severing. Link followed the wave's path, slicing through an arm that had escaped the first attack.

"Freeze." The impact of Lance's Crystal Sword instantly encased his target in ice, the whole appendage shattering moments later. While this was happening, the shards of the sword's icy casing arced up, then turned to shred another tentacle a few feet away. "Not bad… how many do we have left?"

Slicing another, Link replied "Three more on this side."

Hugh called, "I have two left over here…" A few seconds later, he added, "…make that one left!"

Finishing off his set, Lance ran over to see the other three sending several volleys of Water Chaos attacks toward the large, spear-like head of the Kraken. Tikal glanced over her shoulder as he approached, informing him of their progress. "We started with Fire and Wind, but neither had any visible effects. Water is doing damage, but not much of it."

"We took care of most of the tentacles, so we'll add our distance attacks to the mix." As the last of his words left his lips, the cold black eyes of the beast glowed blue, and half a dozen new appendages shot forward from its body. "Damn! Everyone focus all attacks on that head! We have to kill it fast, or else it'll keep regrowing those tentacles!"

Hugh turned away to attack more limbs. "If Water's the only one that works, I can't reach it. You handle the head, I'll keep the arms busy!"

"Okay, that works. The rest of you, attack on three. One… two…"

"THREE!" With tremendous force, the five unleashed their onslaught. Link and Elric each slammed an eye with Ice Arrows, while the shards of the Crystal Sword and Frozen Sickle attacks pelted the Kraken's sides. To top it off, Tikal's Blizzard drove hard into the center of the beast, combining with the other icy attacks to freeze that section of its body solid. Shifting spells, the elfin mage shattered the frozen segment with a Tidal Surge.

"I think that did it!" The high-pressure attack left a gaping hole between the Kraken's blind, black eyes, the edges beginning to break apart into smoky wisps. In a final move of desperation, the dying squid lifted all of its remaining tentacles, wrapped them together into one, and brought the thick new weapon down hard onto the center of the ship. "Oh shit…"

The impact shattered a large section of the already weakening vessel, causing several ruptures that began to rapidly take in water. With a final cry that resembled a sadistic laugh, the Kraken died. "We have to get to shore! The boat took too much damage!"

"How?! I can barely see Gohdan from here! We'll never make it!"

Thinking quickly, Link pulled the Wind Waker from his pocket. "If there's anything below decks that you think we'll need, grab it now. I'm going to try something real risky." When no one moved, he conducted down, right, left, then up.

Hearing the Ballad of Gales, Cyclos flew in quickly. "Link! I thought I heard Zephos say you were around these parts…"

"Cyclos, we need a cyclone to take us to the shore of Gohdan, fast."

The red frog frowned. "Link, you know a ship this size would be torn apart during the trip."

Annoyed, Hugh interrupted. "Look closer. We're already sinking!"

"I wouldn't ask to transport a boat this size if it wasn't absolutely necessary. You know that."

Nodding slowly, the deity waved his hand. "You all had better grab hold of something." The twister enveloped them, lifting the creaking vessel out of the water. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Fragments of the wrecked ship twisted in the wind as the cyclone traveled over the sea. Within a matter of seconds, the small storm touched down on the water, much closer than before but still beyond swimming distance. "Cyclos, why couldn't you drop us off closer?"

"If I dropped you any closer, the debris would cause too much damage to the surrounding area, making your landing near impossible. If you don't think you can make it swimming on your own, why not have the little lady use her magic and have you all ride the surf in?"

The simplicity of the solution dumbfounded the lot of them, each turning to face the now-blushing Tikal. "I… I'm sorry, I completely forgot the Triad could do that…" Casting Tidal Surge, she created a wave that carried the group much closer to shore. With a final wave to the departing Wind deity, they made their way to the small group of tents among the dunes.

**__**

End Chapter 22

RCM- With that, the next leg of the journey commences…

Anri- As Master mentioned earlier, this chapter was dedicated to Lady Aria for her birthday. All of us here wish her the best.

Sol- We've got lots to do in preparation for the next chapter, where the final Chosen One is revealed, so… yeah.

RCM- As the time I am writing this is after midnight, and I must go to school in the morning, I will end this here. Farewell, my readers. Remember, all source guesses are now being accepted, and I will be keeping track of how many each of you successfully name. Good luck to all of you.

Anri- See ya!

Sol- Later!


	23. Seven Completed

RCM- Wow… Good thing I decided to do the source challenge, the first entry noticed things I hadn't even thought of! Well done, Anime-Master7!

Anri- So what are you going to do with them?

RCM- All concepts caught by readers that I had NOT observed beforehand will be rewarded with extra points. Because of that, he has already scored a total of 16, and he's not even past the Temple of Elders!

Sol- But some of the cards he named were inaccurate…

RCM- Solaris, he had the right game, it's valid. His score at the opening is 16. Adding in the Flare Blade he named from before… hmm, nice! 17, one of my favorite numbers!

Anri- heehee! Looks like your idea was a hit, Master.

RCM- Yes indeed. Though Aria isn't as familiar with the cards as the other two, she's still a treasured reviewer. Now, on with the show.

Sol- We don't own Zelda, Yu-Gi-Oh, or anything else readers recognize.

Anri- It's time to meet the final Chosen One.

RCM- Let the last of the party be established…

**__**

Chapter 23

Seven Completed

The tents were occupied by a group of dwarves. As one of them looked their way, both Lance and Link felt themselves tense up. Something about the camper's pitch black eyes was making them uneasy. "Ah, welcome weary travelers… won't you join us for supper?"

"I suppose…" A loud noise erupted from one of the tents nearby. "What was that?"

"That would be a prisoner of ours. A changling, in fact. Rare creatures that can mimic anything they come into contact with. Have a look-see if you're interested." Wearily eyeing the speaker, they stepped into the tent.

The caged occupant rushed to the bars as they entered. "You! You there! Help me!"

"Who are you?"

"I'm a dwarf, miner of the cliffs out yonder. I was cleaning some ore in the sea here, when this hoard of black lizards grabbed me."

Hugh looked outside to see the beings outside conversing quietly. "They don't look like lizards to me… they look almost exactly like you."

"I know they do, but I'm telling you I'm a real dwarf! If I have to take you to the Temple of Mines to prove it, I will!"

Needless to say, that caught the group's complete attention. "You can take us to the temple!?"

"If you let me out, absolutely."

"You swear?"

"Every goddamn day."

Tikal recoiled slightly at that. Elric responded "That's not what she meant!"

"I know what she meant, and yes, I promise to show you if you let me out."

A look of realization appeared on Shadow's face, and he began to chuckle softly. "Of course… those 'dwarves' outside were _changlings_!" Closely examining the lock, he cursed. "This lock is sealed with a magic my Berserker can't bypass. We need the key to break him out."

"Then let's get the key." Stepping back outside, Hugh walked up to the one who looked to be in charge. "Hey, what would it take to convince you to let us have that changling?"

The being looked past the boy to Lance, or more precisely… "I'll let him go for the blonde's pendant!"

The answer rang loud and clear from all six. "What?! No!"

"That's a shame…" The guise fell, revealing the jet-black humanoid reptile. "You might have been able to leave this place alive!" The other nineteen changlings showed their true forms as well, snarling wickedly.

Unnoticed by the leader, the cell key dropped to the sands at their feet, glistening in the sunlight. "Link! Get that key and free the dwarf!" As the boomerang picked up the item, Elric realized something crucial. "Oh my god… He's the final Chosen One! The dwarf is the seventh Protector!"

Tikal spun her staff, icy energies spiraling around its tip. "Yes, it makes sense! The prophecy King Toluin told us…" The Blizzard flew forward, but her dove beneath the sands. Moments later, it burst out in front of her and snatched the staff out of her hands. "Wah! No!"

Sword drawn, Lance cursed. "We never had the Blue Mage add his magic to the orb! We can't give him all three powers!"

As Link returned with their ally, Hugh glanced at the glowing sphere in his palm. Red, blue and aquamarine mist shimmered within it. "Looks like he had everything taken care of…" Tossing it to the dwarf, the three powers flashed. First, flame engulfed his axe, followed by spiraling winds, then lastly shimmering water.

"I, Rand of the Dwarves, hereby punish you fiends for your evil deeds on our mining world! Now feel the wrath of the Earth Clan!" Flames once again shifted onto the enraged dwarf's blade. "Heat Axe!" Hacking at the nearest demon, Rand released a small flurry of fireballs from the weapon's wide blade. The single swipe incinerated three changlings. "Shockwave!" Turning to another group, he slashed downward. The wind energy slammed into the sand, charging forward as Hugh's Aqua Sword wave did. The blast also kicked up plenty of debris with its force, ripping the cluster of lizards to shreds. Bringing the axe vertical over his head, the dwarf released his third attack. "Tidal Wave!" The weapon came down, crashing down at his feet. A ring of aquatic energy expanded from that spot, forming a powerful wave. Though it washed harmlessly over the six Protectors, it completely devastated the ranks of the evil creatures.

The party blinked in disbelief, absorbing the fact that, with only three attacks, Rand had single-handedly eliminated almost two dozen demonic reptiles. "Whoa… now _that's_ power!" Having completed its task, the Mage's Orb shattered, the pieces melting into the sands. "So… what now?"

Lance turned to their new ally. "You said you would lead us to the temple? Well, we were told that a powerful evil force was headed there, so we have to get the Chaos Crystal Shard out of there first… Oh, and before I forget, my name is Lance."

"Call me Hugh," the other human said coolly.

"Elric and Tikal. At your service." The archer gave her a slightly amused look at her introduction.

The Darkman simply stated "Shadow."

"And I'm Link. Pleased to meet you."

"Rand. Likewise." The dwarf turned and pointed toward the cliffs behind him. "The entrance to the mines is over there. I think I remember seeing a number of holes among the rocks there, and with this Chaos business, I imagine that it may be infested with monsters too." He gave Shadow a curious look. "I've never seen a Darkman working together with Light folks… Once we get to the Station, care to share a pint and tell yer story?"

"'Station'?"

Rand chuckled slightly, realizing that they weren't familiar with the Gohdan Mining System. "Oh, my sincerest apologies, let me explain. The mines under the Quarry Range are divided into sections, each specializing in a specific type of material. The first is the mithril mine. We dig up the raw form of the durable mineral, clean it in the seas here, then take it back to the Station for processing."

"What exactly is the Station."

"There is a Station between each section of the mines. They serve primarily as a hub for miners when they gather their quarry and need a rest. Beyond the Mithril Station lies the crystal mine. It is there that we harvest the many different gems that you see adorning our work. Some even possess the power to amplify magic, like the emerald sphere in yer staff there." All eyes briefly shifted to Tikal's wand, then back to Rand. "But you want to go to the Temple of Mines… That is hidden deep in the Catacombs, beyond Crystal Station. Not too many are permitted access to those parts of the mines…"

Lance nodded, fingering the hilt of his mithril blade. "We don't have much choice… Permission or not, we need the Earth Shard." The others nodded in agreement."

Rand laughed heartily. "Sounds like it's decided then! Off to the mines we go, my friends! If access is what you need, I'm your man! It just so happens that there are some favors I can collect on that should grant us clear passage."

Hugh laughed too, excitement glowing in his eyes. "Well then, what are we waiting for?! Let's get this started!"

**__**

End Chapter 23

RCM- I can sense the three…

Sol- It's almost time, isn't it…?

RCM- Yes, their arrival should occur in approximately four or five chapters…

Anri- Really? That's all?

RCM- Yes…

Anri and Sol- Then…

RCM- Right… Speak no more of this, the readers will see in due time…

Anri and Sol- Yes sir.

RCM- The group of seven has been set, and their quest for the fourth shard has begun. The next chapter will take them into the dark realm of the mines, and they will each gain more power because of it.

Sol- We may not be able to post as soon as it's ready, but we'll get it to you as soon as we can.

Anri- The current score for the Source ID Challenge is Anime-Master7 with 17 points, and Harry Read with 2 points. 

RCM- I'm not going to relay the score after every chapter, but I wanted to do so this time to congratulate the stellar opening move stated in the opening. If you elect not to participate in the game, that's perfectly fine also.

Sol- Yeah, if too many try, we're gonna get so confused…

Anri- But don't forget, since we started late, they put in older sources with newer ones. If they stick with the new, we shouldn't lose focus.

RCM- She's right. Starting next chapter, any source guesses must be pertaining to the chapter the review is for. I am not enforcing this new rule THIS chapter in order to give my other readers a chance to catch up to Anime-Master7.

Sol- Master, don't you still have work to do?

RCM- Damn, you're right… ok, I'll see all of you later. Farewell, my friends!

Anri and Sol- Until next time!


	24. Forging Ahead

RCM- No… this… this can't be possible!

Sol- What? What happened?

Anri- Master, what's wrong?

RCM- Our review count… it is about to overtake that of _Terrornova_…

Sol- Are you serious?!

Anri- Master, that's great!

RCM- But… Lord Revokov's story is so much better than my own… I'm hardly worthy of this…

Sol- But Master…

Anri- Um… Master, the readers are here…

RCM- Huh? Oh! Hello… sorry about that.

Sol- The Mega Man X fanfic _Terrornova_, written by Revokov, has greatly affected Master. He has followed it for several months, and hung onto every word all the way to its completion in August. Containing a wonderful mix of action, drama, humor, tension, romance, mystery… and pretty much everything else I can think of, it is easily his favorite story on the site.

Anri- Though we love Lady Aria's work as well, we have idolized Lord Revokov's masterpiece long prior to meeting her. It's size is rather daunting, but we heartily encourage those who have an interest in Mega Man X and a considerable amount of free time to read it. It has something for everyone, and… it defies explanation, it's so good!

Sol- Master, we should probably make the other announcement now.

RCM- Oh… yes. Yes, I am ending the Source Challenge now since there is no way in hell Anime-Master7 will be overtaken at this point, and… to be quite honest, I have lost interest in the game. Though I won't prevent you from asking if something in my story is something you recognize, I will ask that you do so sparingly. Please.

Anri- We don't own Zelda, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Golden Sun, or anything else that has copyrights attached.

Sol- Now we'll put the mithril portion of the story to rest. Shall we Master?

RCM- Let the games begin.

**__**

Chapter 24

Forging Ahead

As predicted, several monsters inhabited the multiple holes in the stone. Sensing the party approach, the small serpents slid out and opened their oversized jaws. Within each mouth waved an eye, looking out from what would normally be a tongue. As Link was reminded of the weak spot of his old foe Molgera, Tikal cringed at the grotesque sight. "Eww… what are those?"

"Worm drakes… individually, they aren't much of a threat, but if they're in groups…" Shadow didn't finish his statement, instead slicing a trio of attacking snakes with his scythe. Though the move easily killed the creatures, several more took their place in an instant. It was as if a cascade of scales flowed from the rock wall, never stopping nor showing any sign of slowing down.

It didn't take long for the Hylian boy to become annoyed. "Alright, that's enough." Tossing a bomb over the river of drakes, he sealed off about a third of the entryways. With only a few more explosives, the onslaught of serpents ceased.

The number remaining quickly diminished without its reinforcement flow. "Okay, people, let's get going while the going's still good!"

"Hugh, you really need to lay off the sugar." Despite the quip, Lance followed the other boy into the caverns ahead.

Inside was almost pitch-black. As Lance began searching for his lantern, Rand placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hold on, let me find the lights. Save your lamp for when you need it." Rummaging along the wall, the dwarf flipped a small metal switch hidden among the rocks. Seconds later, the cave was lit up by an array of torches lining the walls. "We rigged switch-activated torches through each and every passage in the mines. Mix of technology and magic they say. I think it's a damn crock, but if it works…"

The lights revealed several Keese sleeping above them. Unlike in their prior experiences, the bats did not stir. Even when Link tripped loudly over a discarded pickaxe handle, the group was completely ignored. "Well… that's refreshing."

"Oh, the Keese? We move through these tunnels so often that they've stopped paying attention. Hasn't been an attack in over 50 some-odd years." To prove his point, Rand chucked a rock between two of the rodents. The noise elicited no more than an agitated flutter followed by a brief glare. "See?" Laughing at the group's tension from his stunt, the dwarf kept moving.

The journey seemed to take hours, and though the path was full of native creatures, none of them bothered to look toward the party. After making a right turn at a fork in the path, Hugh growled in annoyance "How much longer is this gonna take?!"

"Relax, Hugh. We'll be there before you can say 'mithril plating.'" The dwarf smirked as he took the next left, waiting for the human's inevitable comeback.

"Mithril…"

"And here we are!" Opening the metal doors, he ushered them inside the Mithril Station. "We'll rest here for a spell, then keep going through the crystal mines."

The impatient one groaned. "You mean we have _another_ mine to go through? How big is this place?!"

"Larger than Jarai Forest, and that's not including the forbidden catacombs. Since I have connections, I should be able to talk us through security. Now, relax, look around, and we'll leave in a couple hours." Clasping a hand on Shadow's arm, he dragged the Darkman toward one of the buildings. "You, my friend, are going to are going to tell me your story. What kind o' ale you prefer?"

Shaking his head slightly, Lance turned to the others. "I guess we just explore the place. How you want to do this?"

"I say we stick together." Elric loosened the strap of his quiver, adjusting it to a more comfortable position. "It's better that way so we don't have to go looking for people once Rand and Shadow are ready." After everyone quickly agreed, they went to look around. After about an hour of exploring and talking with the stocky inhabitants of the Station, the group noticed the sounds of metal striking metal. Curious, Lance led the way toward the building the noise was coming from.

The dwarf inside looked up from his work as the door opened. "Ah, welcome travelers! Come in! Come in! What can I do for ya?"

"We were curious what that noise was."

The dwarf, short and stocky like the others of his clan, laughed as he lifted the large war-hammer off of the counter. His dark beard barely draped over it, as if protecting the weapon. "My latest work, just about finished. If you didn't know, I am the metalworker in charge of weaponry here." It was then that Lance's sword caught the craftsman's eye. "That sword… be that a mithril blade?" As the boy nodded, the dwarf tentatively extended one of his thickly muscled arms. "If I may…?"

"Sure, why not." Unsheathing the weapon, he placed the blade in the merchant's hand.

"Ah yes… this is definitely one of mine… but I don't recognize yer face, and I always remember me customers…"

Lance's face dropped a little. "It belonged to my master… he gave it to me right before he died."

"You mean _our_ master." Hugh added, slightly miffed at Lance's failure to mention his connection.

"I see… well, be this the only mithril weapon you have?" Another nod. "Well, you're in luck! As I no longer have anything on order, I can upgrade any of your current weapons into mithril-reinforced masterpieces, like this one!" Looking back into the kettle in the rear of the shop, the dwarf's smile faded. "Oh no… it seems I'm fresh out of mithril ore… I don't have enough for all o' ya…"

It was then that Rand and Shadow found them again. "Ah! There you are! Greetings, Orann! Entertainin' my guests were ya?"

"Oh, Rand! I just had the misfortune of tellin' yer friends we have no mithril left. Blasted miners can't even keep the shop stocked with enough to meet…" The clatter of metal rang throughout the room as Lance dumped the five pieces of mithril from his pack onto the countertop. "…demand…" Orann looked with shock at the metal, then at Lance, then back to the metal again. "Where did…? How…?"

"How many of our weapons can you forge now?"

Snapping back into focus, Orann examined the tools the six held out. "Well, let's see… you already possess a mithril weapon… I can upgrade those two swords… that staff should turn out nicely… that bow as well… And I think I may even be able to do something with your magic little trinket, Darkman. They'll even be some ore left over!" The shopkeeper smiled. "If you'd like to help, we can get this done a lot faster."

For the next half-hour, the seven helped Orann melt the ore and forge the mineral into their tools. Each sword was dipped in the boiling kettle, coating the blades in silver. After smoothing and sharpening the edges, the hilts were adorned with gems. Hugh chose a trio of flaming rubies on each side for his, while Link matched the color of his clothes to the single cool emerald. Similarly, Tikal's staff was completely coated, and she replaced the green orb with a smooth, glittering sphere of sapphire. Elric didn't select any particular type of gem for his weapon, equally distributing rubies, sapphires and emeralds along the shaft.

Though each was a work of art, it was Shadow's Berserker that truly showed the mastery of the smithy. As the tool was not set in form, dipping it in mithril would not have been wise. Instead, Orann tried to infuse the metal into the weapon's interior. The first try ended in failure, as the liquid metal merely seeped out onto the worktable. Then, via an idea from Tikal, they cooled the ore with concentrated cold magic, forming a fine dust out of the metal. This was easily absorbed into the Berserker, which now possessed a metallic glint in its night-black face. The ultimate weapon of Darkmen had been successfully enhanced with the strongest metal in existence. "Testing this should be fun…"

"With this arsenal, I'd say we're ready for the temple." Sheathing his improved Hero's Sword, Link asked, "How much do we owe you?"

Again, Orann laughed. "It's on the house, my friends. First off, you're Rand's guests, and second, you restocked my mithril supply! Consider these free weapons as my thanks!" Clasping his fellow dwarf's shoulder, Orann bid farewell to Rand and his guests. "Take care, brother."

"You as well, brother. I shall see you again once this Chaos nonsense is put to rest." With a nod to the others, Rand led them out of the store toward the Crystal Mine.

**__**

End Chapter 24

  
RCM- Their attack power has risen, but will it help them endure what is to come? We shall see…

Anri- Master, have you seen Sol? He flew off somewhere, and I can't find him anywhere.

RCM- No, not since we started… Hmm… Solaris?

Sol- (flies in, fluttering excitedly) Master! Lord Revokov posted the continuation of _Terrornova_! _Trinity Helix_!

RCM- What?! Really?!

Sol- Yeah! Come on!

RCM- I am SO there! (burst of flame, and is gone)

Anri and Sol- Hey! Wait for us! (starts to fly off) Oh, thanks for reading, we'll see you soon! (vanishes)


	25. Into the Catacombs

RCM- I have nothing new to report this time, so I'm just going to cut to the chase. I don't own Zelda or any other copyrighted material. Enjoy your trip through the catacombs.

**__**

Chapter 25

Into the Catacombs

Like the mine before, crystal was devoid of hostile creatures. The surroundings inside were unreal, with gem formations saturating the tunnel on all sides, some shining a supernatural light. Blues, reds, yellows and greens, all moving along the path as if leading the way. Various large insects scurried across the walls as well, reflecting the glow off of their own crystalline carapaces. Tikal looked around in awe. "So beautiful…" 

"That it is, lass. That it is. This mine is, by far, the most wondrous. If people took the time to make their way down here, I'd bet our people would make a damn mint off o' tourism." Rand smirked, a sly glint in his eye. "Could you imagine me as a tour guide?"

Everyone laughed at the thought, spending the remainder of the long trip exchanging small talk. Link told his stories, Rand pointed out some of the more extraordinary gem deposits, Hugh and Lance playfully argued which of them had seen a larger crystalline beetle, and Elric joked about the absurdity of the two with Tikal. Shadow was the only one remaining silent, though he bore what could have passed as a small, content smile. '_It must be the glow… some magic perhaps…_' He thought.

Upon entering the Crystal Station, Rand wasted no time in finding his contact. The only problem was that he left the others behind to do so. "Well, this works…"

Link leaned against a building, wondering how long the dwarf would take. Looking around, he spotted a table nearby. Turning to Hugh and Lance, he asked, "Either of you have a deck of cards?"

Several poker games later, Rand returned. He looked exhausted, but also satisfied, as in his hand lay a thick, metal key. "Those officials were more uptight than I anticipated. Sorry for the wait." Noticing the remnants of the card game, he raised an eyebrow. "Who won?"

Both humans, the Hylian, and the archer each grudgingly gestured to Shadow, who was pocketing a rather large pile of coins. "He did…"

Tikal sighed, still not understanding why they chose to bet money in the first place. She was even more disappointed in Elric, whom she knew was smarter than that. The Darkman just shrugged. "Hey, it's not my fault your bluffs don't fool me. Are we set?" Nodding agreement, they all followed the dwarf to the locked mithril gate.

"The catacombs are forbidden to most, so the creatures within aren't as harmless as the ones we saw in the two mines. Keep those new weapons o' yours handy." With those words, he flipped the switch on the wall. Like before, torches lit up, but they were spread much further apart. Large pockets of shadow lingered in numerous places as a result, perfect for an ambush. "Stay alert."

The first three passages were uneventful, but half a dozen tall, blue zombies occupied the fourth. Alarmed recognition flashed in Link's eyes. "Oh no… ReDeads!"

Tikal clutched her staff tightly, feeling a chill run down her spine. "What… what are… ReDeads?

"Zombie monsters that can paralyze you with their glare." An idea struck him. "But they hate light!" Firing off three Light Arrows, he eliminated half of the threat.

The flash also illuminated a bigger one. "No way… tell me that wasn't…" The monster's roar confirmed Lance's fear. "Damn!"

"Another one?!" Hugh paled as another Spiked Lizard emerged from the shadows. Unlike the first, it boasted an earthy orange in its scales, it had three horns on its head, and the spikes along its back were coated with what looked like dried blood. "Oh, this sucks!"

"Friend of yours?" Elric asked as he readied an arrow.

"We killed one back home, when we first started our adventure… that one was green, and I think about five feet shorter."

Hugh gathered red energy into his improved blade, making the rubies in its hilt shine brilliantly. "But we didn't have Chaos powers then!"

As he spiraled forward in a Pyro Dance, one of the three remaining ReDeads caught sight of him. The paralyzing crimson glow filled its eyes, the zombie emitting a terrifying screech. To everyone's horror, Hugh's attack was frozen in place, the sword losing its fiery glow. The armored reptile noticed as well, charging forward. "Hugh!"

A blast of wind energy cut through the screaming creature, freeing the immobilized warrior. With another slash of his axe, the dwarf unleashed a slew of fireballs at the remaining two, which left only the saurian threat. "Who's hungry for some Reptile Soup?" Earning a couple confused glances from the others, Rand created a Tidal Wave in the hopes of washing away the creature.

No such luck. With another roar, its array of spikes pulsed on its back before launching at the warriors. Unprepared for the attack, all they could do was take the hits. After healing the injuries with Shielding Mist, Tikal sent a blast of intense flame into the Spiked Lizard's face. Another roar sounded, but this one was clearly laced with excruciating pain. "I found the weakness! Fire away!"

The barrage of flame attacks rapidly weakened the beast, causing it to turn and flee. "Oh no you don't! Agility!" Even with the aid of Shadow's spell, they couldn't close the gap between them and the escaping reptile. Pushing himself harder, Shadow cast the spell again, this time on himself alone, doubling his already enhanced speed. With a final soaring leap, the ebon warrior overtook the creature, his Berserker shifting to an axe. Similar to the way Lance had to the first, Shadow crushed the creature's skull with the power of the Quake Blaze.

Panting, the group looked around in confusion. In their heated pursuit, they had blindly passed a number of crossroads, leaving them completely lost. "Uh… Rand? Where are we?"

Before the dwarf could answer, the room began to tremble. Looking around frantically, the group noticed that the impact of Shadow's final attack had caused several cracks to spread across the floor. Those cracks converged on a single section of the room, which they were currently standing on. "Brace yourselves!" The weakened section then collapsed, sending all seven tumbling into the abyss.

After a long, bumpy ride, the fall ended with a heavy crash, each member of the team entangled with another. At the bottom of the pile, Hugh groaned loudly. "Ow… that just sucked…"

"Tikal, could you heal us please?"

"Sure…" Painfully rising to her feet, she prepared to cast the healing spell again. However, the floor jerked, bending under their weight. "No… not again…"

Rand's face paled. "By the Great Mines… these catacombs are a network of naturally formed chambers, with structural weaknesses from the underground waterways… If we keep impacting this hard when we land, the chambers will continue to collapse, and the cycle will go on and on, until…" The floor jerked again, almost ready to give way. "We have to stop this fast!"

Before anyone could do anything, the weakened ground caved in, and the party fell even deeper into the catacombs. As Lance collided with and rolled down the sloped rock wall, he prayed that Rand would be wrong, and that the cycle would end with only two runs. By some miracle, his wish was granted. After their second long and painful drop, he and the others landed on a small yet sturdy stone platform, overlooking an open cavern. A few feet away was a door, beyond which hung a ladder leading to the floor below. "Where are we now?"

The dwarf rose stiffly, cracking his neck before looking at their surroundings. "Well, I'll be damned…"

Tikal looked over the edge of the platform and asked, "What's that in the center of the big room down there?"

Waving his arm over the building below, the dwarf smiled. "That stone tower'd be the Temple of Mines. Four floors of secrecy, seen only by those of the highest regard in the mining world. I've only seen it once, but ne'er was I allowed inside…"

"There's a first time for everything." Shadow called from the ladder. He had begun his decent, and was motioning for them to follow. "The seal isn't getting any stronger, you know. You coming?" The others quickly joined him, completely unaware of the three pairs of eyes watching them from the shadows below.

**__**

End Chapter 25

RCM- (sighs) well, it might've been a hellish day, but at least I could post a chapter… Anri, Sol, come here please.

Anri and Sol- (fly in together) You called?

RCM- You will be making another appearance in Chapter 26. (hands a card to each of them) Here are your assignments there.

Anri- Wow, that ought to get their blood pumping.

Sol- This should be fun!

RCM- Alright, now go. Return once they reach the shrine.

Anri and Sol- Yes sir. (both vanish)

RCM- My strength is fading… I need rest. Farewell, my readers. When next we meet, I shall be feeling more like myself. Until then. (vanishes in a burst of flame)


	26. Hot Pursuit

RCM- (falls to the floor, bearing several scorch marks) …let me just say I've had a rough few weeks… I don't own any of the copyrighted material present in this story. Now you may enter the Temple… of Mines… (collapses)

**__**

Chapter 26

Hot Pursuit

The first chamber had a warm, earthy glow to it, reminding Link of the Wind Temple on the Great Sea. Unlike the tower they had seen in Aurora, the upper floors were not visible from the first room. As they made their way to the first door, Lance deciphered the inscription on its face. "'To destroy the indestructible, turn its trap upon itself.'" Turning to the others, he shrugged.

Hugh scratched his head. "That makes a whole lot of sense… Come on, let's keep moving."

Proceeding to the next room, they noticed a ladder hanging from the wall. Recognizing the situation, Shadow yelled "Alright, what do we have to do?!" In response, four bulbous red turtles dropped from the ceiling. Their tails were covered with several needle-like spikes

"Argh! What is it with Chaos and sharp pointy objects?!" Snickering lightly at Hugh's question, Lance slashed at the head of the closest reptile. Before his blade could connect, the target withdrew into its shell, causing the weapon to bounce harmlessly off of the resilient surface. To further Lance's aggravation, the turtle launched a small volley of spikes at the boy, who cried out in pain as they struck his arm and shoulder. "Lance, you idiot! Didn't the CrabTurtle teach you anything?" An Aqua Sword wave flipped the shelled enemies onto their backs, rendering them completely helpless. "You have to find and exploit the weak spots!"

Lance pulled the projectiles from his side, scowling as Hugh destroyed the problem. His look faded, though, as he saw Tikal's sympathetic smile. Without a word, she cast Recover on his injuries. As the last remnants vanished from his arm, the ladder dropped. "I guess we keep going…"

Beyond the door at the top was another block puzzle, almost identical to the one in Ice Tower. To their relief, no monsters leapt out to hinder their progress, allowing them to assemble the image of the Earth Crest quickly. As the hexagonal gem formed on the faces of the blocks, the floor tiles on the far side of the room began to systematically collapse, revealing a spike pit underneath. "Uh oh…" As the chain reaction continued to draw closer, the barred exit opened. "Let's move it!"

Though they escaped the loss of ground in that room, they were not out of the woods just yet. The following three rooms also had the same puzzle trap set-up, containing obstacles to maneuver the blocks around as well as faster-falling tiles. After narrowly evading the fourth drop, Lance let out a sigh of relief. "Finally… the stairs…"

The next floor wasn't very impressive, appearing to be simply a long, narrow corridor extending to their right. No doors were present in the area, leaving them to wonder what they would have to do. The fact that the inner walls did not touch the ceiling perked Link's interest. "Hey Shadow, give me a boost."

Allowing the Hylian boy onto his shoulder, the ebon warrior lifted him up to look over the wall. As soon as his eyes crossed the threshold, Link pulled out his telescope. "What do you see?"

"It's almost like a maze, but there's only one path. This hallway just keeps doubling back on itself… I'm guessing five or six times before getting to the far side of the room. I can't quite see what's over there, the short walls are in the way."

"Well, in that case… We'd best head over there." Lance said, cautiously leading the way down the passage. As he caught sight of the first left turn at the hallway's end, a loud rumbling noise arose from behind them.

"Uh… Lance? What is that?" A tremendous crash made them turn on their heels, the source being a gigantic streamlined tank breaking through the wall behind them. The shining blue machine held a demonic look via the imposing black drills adorning its face. Blinking in disbelief, Elric whistled softly. "I'd say we have a problem."

"Not quite." With a nod to Hugh, Shadow leapt into the air. Quake Blaze and Pyro Dance met the polished metal surface, but when the flaming firestorm faded, there wasn't even a scratch. "Uh… okay, let's try Water!" Though Blizzard's frigid blast encased the tank in ice, the black drills swiftly broke free, shattering the monstrosity's confines. "Uh oh…"

"That leaves us with…" The Shock Wave, Wind Cutters and Twin Dream each bounced off, leaving no evidence the blows had struck at all. "…Nothing…"

Elric took a step back, glancing from his bow to the seemingly impervious Labyrinth Tank. "I'm going to restate my assessment…" The machine revved its engine threateningly, two red lights glowing like angry eyes. "I'd say we have a HUGE problem…"

"Run!" Each and every Protector turned and fled, with the mechanical monster roaring forward close behind. As they neared the turn at the corridor's end, Lance looked over his shoulder. Alarmed at how fast the tank was gaining on them, he cried "Shadow! Cast Agility on us! Hurry!"

The spell's yellow glow hadn't come a second too soon. With their extra boost of speed, they quickly rounded the corner, hearing the drills harshly rupture the wall only a few mere feet behind them. "Holy…! How do we get outta this mess?!"

"Less talking, more moving!" Link said, dropping a bomb in the path of their pursuer. The explosive detonated on contact, but the blast had no obvious effects on the swift machine. "Aw, come on!"

The hallway had doubled back on itself again, the tank again tearing apart the real walls with its charge. "Good thing that tank can't turn fast!"

"These halls are too long! It'll keep using the straight parts to close the gaps we make at the corners!" As they approached another turn, Elric realized just how far they had fled. Remembering how many times Link had said the corridor doubled back, he cried in alarm "I think we're going to run out of hallway soon!"

After turning the final corner, the group skidded to a halt. Behind them followed the heavily shielded Labyrinth Tank, and before them stood a full wall lined with several spikes. Out of options, the team began to panic. As the machine emerged from the corner behind them, it stopped for a moment to release a cloud of steam. Rand sighed, "Well… It was a short trip, but I had a damn good time with you folks…"

Tightly gripping the Pirate's Charm in his pocket, Link prayed that Tetra would be safe. Beside him, Shadow held the dormant Berserker in his palm, awaiting the machine's final move. The archer held the crying elfin mage protectively, defiance glowing in his eyes. Though they refused to submit to the despair, the boys from Nidero couldn't help exchanging a look of resignation. Without a miracle, they had failed.

"Sol! Now!" The small voice shattered the group's reverie just as the Labyrinth Tank charged forward. Before any of them knew what happened, the heavily damaged wall behind the tank shimmered much closer.

"What the…?" A loud crash erupted from behind them, making them turn on their heels. "Whoa… no way…" The Labyrinth Tank had continued forward, colliding with the reinforced spiked wall. Unable to withstand the intense impact, the wall collapsed onto the machine, impaling it with the heavy spikes. "So that's what the inscription meant!" With the sickening groan of grinding gears, the metallic monster shut down before exploding.

The blast would have overtaken the tired warriors, had the red fairy not erected a barrier of magical flame. "Are you all okay?"

"Anri! You couldn't have come at a better time!"

"Don't forget me!" The yellow fairy fluttered out from behind Link's shield. "I was the one who used Egress to get us behind that tank!"

Wiping the last of her tears away, Tikal smiled brightly. "And we can't thank you enough, Sol. You two saved our lives."

Lance stretched his legs, thankful for Anri's magic removing the stiffness from them. "Why weren't our weapon's working on that thing?"

The two fairies answered simultaneously, "Mithril plating."

"Hey, look over here." They all turned to Shadow, who was standing on the tank's smoking remains. "There's a door behind the spiked wall."

Anri and Sol shared a nod, knowing what lay behind the finely decorated door. "You're almost done here. Beyond that passage is the stairway to the shrine. I imagine that the Chaos monster has invaded already, so stay alert."

"What she said." Sol briefly shimmered away, reappearing a few moments later. "Ground it first, then the limbs, lastly the head."

Link cocked his head in confusion. "Come again?"

"Sol, come on! Master wants us back home soon." The red fairy smiled at the party before vanishing with her brother, leaving them to wonder what was meant by Sol's words.

**__**

End Chapter 26

  
Anri- Master! Are you alright?!

Sol- (checks) He's fine, just unconscious… I think all that work he had got the best of him…

Anri- Yeah… let's get him up to his room to rest, he's supposed to meet Lady Aria and Sir Primagen tomorrow.

Sol- Yeah, I know. I'll Egress him upstairs, you wrap up the update (shimmers away with RCM)

Anri- As you all plainly saw, Master's exhausted. In fact, he's been busy that he barely had time to get this chapter together. Since the workload is only going to get worse for the next few weeks, I don't imagine he'll have another update ready until maybe early November… I have a feeling you probably don't like to hear that, but I know he wants to keep this going as steadily as possible. Once his college situation and marching band is out of the way…

Sol- (calling from upstairs) Anri, can you help me heal Master? I'm running low on magic.

Anri- Be right up! We hope you enjoyed this installment. For those of you who were looking forward to it, the Dark Mages will make their appearance in only 2 chapters! See you all later!


	27. Sacrifice

RCM- I had a comment to make about something… but I can't remember what exactly.

Sol- (bouncing rampantly about the room) Wheeeeee!

Anri- Master, he downed the candy we got from UltimateTH! There's none left!

RCM- Are you serious? (turns to sugar-high fairy) This should do it… Hinder!

Sol- (gets wrapped in energy web, falling to the floor) Eep! Hey! Lemme goooooooooo!

Anri- Hee hee. That works. So, are we ready?

RCM- Yeah, let's get this started. I have a few announcements before we begin. First of all, this is the long-awaited chapter where the Dark Mages appear. Second, there is going to be a major twist in the plot, which I am going to convey with a cliffhanger. To further increase the torture of said cliffhanger, I will not be making any Author's notes at the chapter's end.

Anri- (sigh) That's right, it happens here, doesn't it…

Sol- (calming down) You mean… oh boy…

Anri- Red Chaos Mage does not own any of the copyrighted material present in this story.

RCM- Hehhehhehheh… and so it begins… You're all really gonna hate me for this… (snickers evilly, snaps fingers, and vanishes in a burst of flame)

**__**

Chapter 27

Sacrifice

The final chamber was very spacious, seemingly perfect for an aerial battle. However, since it was the temple of the Earth element, none of the Protectors expected that kind of a fight. The roar from above shocked them to no end. "The hell?! If this is the Earth Temple, why is that thing flying?!"

The creature Shadow referred to landed before them, its link to the Earth element growing more apparent. The main body seemed like an enormous, round boulder, with stony limbs extending from its sides. Its head, though somewhat streamlined, was roughly shaped in the form of a dragon's. With another roar, it extended a pair of large, sandy wings in an attempt to intimidate the group.

The attempt failed. "You blasted wretch! You _dare_ defile my people's most sacred place?! Shock Wave!!!"

Flying unhurt over the attack, the stone dragon made Sol's words clear. "If we're going to beat this thing, we'll have to take it out of the air! Who can clip this thing's wings?"

Remembering how they handled the last dragon, Tikal cast Hinder on the monster. Though the spell struck dead on, the beast quickly broke free. "Alright... let's try something else..." Her Tidal Surge had a much more positive effect, washing away the sand making up the creature's wings. Without a means to stay airborne, the Dragon Golem crashed down hard.

"Alright, next is the limbs!" With a powerful slice, Hugh struck the rock-hard arm with his sword, only getting thrown back for his trouble. "Damn... that didn't work..."

"What was it you said about exploiting weaknesses?" Lance asked while launching a Flare Blade.

"Shut up." Lance wasn't paying attention, since his fire hadn't affected the golem at all. "See if Water works. It _did_ wipe out the wings."

"Allow me." The elfin mage sent forth an intense Blizzard blast, but it had no effect. The creature had withdrawn itself into its boulder-like center, making itself a shielded sphere of stone. "Hey! That's not fair!"

Before anyone could respond, the rock began to roll forward quickly, clearly trying to run them over. "Heads up!" Link pulled out a bomb and tossed it in the beast's path. At first, the explosion only appeared to pop the golem into the air, but its crash landing jarred the shell enough to daze the creature into revealing itself. "Yes! Try again Tikal!"

The Blizzard bore down hard on the golem, but the force didn't do much before the defenses returned. Shadow growled before leaping over the rolling attack. "Alright, we tried Fire and Water, so that just leaves..."

To everyone's surprise, Shadow twisted his body and launched a Twin Dream attack in midair, the energy specter charging downward toward the stone reptile. The impact caused an explosion, sending the creature higher than Link's bomb had. Unfurling itself, the golem lay stunned on its back, virtually helpless. "Whoa..."

"He's all yours." Five Swift Arrows soared at Shadow's words, pinning the Dragon Golem in place. Though it was able to withdraw its head, the projectiles held its limbs and tail in vulnerable positions.

Lance leapt onto the stone carapace, a whirlwind wrapping around him. "This ends here." Crushing the five holdings with his Hurricane Blade, he seemed to hover in the air for a moment before coming down hard, sword first. The intense pain felt by the creature brought its head roaring out again, right into the falling weapon.

"Whoa..." With a number of anguished shrieks, the beast weakly withdrew again and began to roll around aimlessly. After a short while, it stopped, and rays of white light began erupting from the cracking stone ball. Finally, the sphere detonated, sending fragments in every direction in a spectacular display of flame. The white elemental shard dropped to the floor from the center of the blast.

A cyclone of dust and leaves erupted a few feet away, quickly fading to reveal a mage robed in green. "Excellent work. The Dragon Golem has fallen, and you've earned the shard it stole." Lifting the gem-like crest from the crystal, he infused it into Link. "It is time. Your second new power awaits..."

Like before, Link found himself in a realm of clouds. Looking to his ring, he saw the emerald was glowing a cool green. "_Young Link, my chosen one... With your fourth Chaos Element, you have unlocked the power of my spell: Farore's Wind._" The ring flashed, and Link found himself instantaneously in another section of clouds. "_The effects of this power are unique to you, Hero of Winds. Unlike the dungeon warp points of the Hero of Time, or the transportation it granted to Zelda, it will grant you short-range, instant teleportation. With it, you could confuse your foes by warping to various parts of the room during battle, allowing you to strike while they wonder where you've gone. However, you must be careful where you aim. If you try to warp to a point where you cannot appear, such as inside of a wall, you will be sent back to the point where you used the spell._" Absorbing all of that, Link nodded, warping himself back to the section of clouds where he started. "_There is not much time, I must send you back quickly. Do not lose faith from the events that are about to occur... May your courage guide you, my child..._"

Returning to the others, Link discovered that all but Rand had received their new powers. He and the others watched with interest as the mage lifted the Crest of Earth from the shard. "May Earth and Fire intertwine... within the Destined of the Mines." The Crest of Fire rose from within Rand, melding with his clan's symbol. As his power grew, the shape of a white gem glowed brightly on the back of his hand.

"Grand Volcanon!" Red and brown energies converged on his axe, which he slammed to the floor. Like Shadow's Quake Blaze, a pillar of fire arose on impact, but six fissures also spread in a perfect hexagon around him as well. Through these cracks erupted even more rocks and flame, showing a strength surpassing that of Shadow's attack.

"There is not much time! You all must flee from this place before _THEY_ arrive!" Without allowing the question to escape their lips, the mage caused a quicksand portal to appear under each warrior, transporting them back to the Temple gates.

Rising stiffly, Hugh groaned. "Great. More mystery... Who's 'they'?"

"That was weird, he sounded really worried."

The dwarf turned to Lance. "There are a few minecarts on the far side of this cavern that we can ride to the outside world on the south side of Quarry. We should heed the sorcerer's words and keep moving."

As they approached the carts, a bone-chilling voice stopped them in their tracks. "So these are the fabled Chaos Protectors...? And Bel'Tasur among them, no less..."

Shadow stiffened. "No... it... it cannot be!" Turning to the Darkman, the others recognized an emotion normally alien to his character glowing from his eyes: Shadow was afraid. "Not here! Not now!"

"Look, Vaho! The traitor remembers us!" Out of the shadows behind them emerged three mages whose robes were the darkest of black, each streaked with either dark blue, red or green. The red one laughed evilly. "You were truly foolish to think you could help them stop us from reviving Chaos."

Link drew his sword, a venomous look on his face. "It was you?! You're the ones behind this?!"

Rand didn't wait for an answer, instead raising his axe over his head. The blade expanded, runes forming on its surface. "Grand Axe!" The blade slammed down onto the red mage, rocks rising up from the impact area and redirecting towards the target.

"Pathetic." A burst of flame erupted around the mage, sending the full force of the attack back to the user. With an oath of pain, Rand flew back, knocking Link over. "Do you honestly think you can harm us?" Catching Elric's Swift Arrow by the tip, the evil fire mage redirected it to impact the archer's shoulder. "You are far too weak!"

Hugh growled, "You can't win... we won't let you!" Charging forward, he unleashed a powerful Pyro Dance, but a concentrated blast of icy water by the blue mage knocked him back hard into a wall.

"Do you think we need your permission?!" The blue one, who had earlier been called Vaho, laughed. "This is almost too easy."

As the fire mage was about to launch an attack on the fallen swordsman, a cyclone arose to block Tikal's Tidal Surge attack. Sending the blast back at the girl, the green mage's eyes narrowed. "Nukoh, enough of this. You forget they possess the element to harm you."

The red one scoffed. "You can't possibly think they can stop us with just one of the powers, Zhodeon. You and Vaho are completely immune to their abilities!"

Shadow, still paralyzed, whispered "They speak the truth... only the element directly superior to the one the mage controls will cause damage... Out of what we have, only Water will have any effect, and only against Nukoh, the red one... We have little chance of survival..."

Each Protector paled visibly, seriously unnerved by their ally's words. Turning towards the frightened warriors, the dark trio began to gather magical power into their palms. Fire, Water and Wind energies glowed ominously, foretelling the strength of the blast to come. "Any ideas, boss?"

Looking about him frantically, Lance could see nothing useful. Though the carts were right next to them, there was no way he could think of to unhook the chains and get the vehicle moving in time to avoid the attack. "No, Elric... I think they've got us trapped..."

"Not if I can help it!" Hugh quickly gathered his own energies into his blade, making it glow bright red. Looking over his shoulder to the blonde swordsman, the boy smiled sadly. "It's up to you now, Lance... Lead them to victory... For Graham, and for me..."

"Hugh, what are you...?"

Before Lance could register what his old friend was doing, he found himself knocked into the cart behind him, with the others falling in beside him. As Hugh used the speed of the Pyro Dance to push the last of the heroes in, he severed the chain with his flaming sword. "Goodbye..." The final blow of the Dance struck the cart hard, sending it hurtling down the tunnel.

"No! Hugh!" Watching in horror, Lance saw his childhood friend turn defiantly to face the approaching three mages, alone. As they quickly faded into the darkness, he cried out one last time. "_HUUUUUUUUUUGH!!!_" A flash followed Lance's call, accompanied by an echoing scream of agonizing pain.

Then all was silent.

**__**

End Chapter 27


	28. And Then There Were Six

RCM- I had a feeling you all would react that way to the sudden turn of events. In fact, I was hoping for it.

Anri- I think you got their interest peaked, just as you wanted.

Sol- This should be fun.

RCM- Yes, and you two know what is about to happen here, yes?

Anri and Sol- Yes sir! We have what we need.

RCM- Good. Then go

Anri and Sol- Later! (both vanish)

RCM- Good. Now then, as you all know, I don't own any of the copyrighted material you find in my story. This upcoming chapter is more of a transitional entry than an action one, as the team adjusts to the Fire specialist's… departure. And, to please another reader, another change will be put into effect. Lastly, I want to dedicate this chapter to UltimateTH and Aria Zephyr, for the help they provided. Now, read on!

**__**

Chapter 28

And Then There Were Six…

As the cart roared its way down the tunnels, each Protector struggled to swallow the truth. Clutching the Pirate's Charm, Link wondered if he could have done anything different to save his human ally. Shadow and Rand each looked out with dim eyes toward the walls racing by, one consumed by anxiety, the other with confusion. Tikal wept her heart out on Elric's shoulder, the archer paying silent respect to his fallen friend. The last of them, Lance, still gazed back into the shadows they were fleeing, disbelief, sorrow, and general pain coursing through him at the thought of his childhood partner's sacrifice. "You goddamn son of a bitch… why… why did you have to… to…"

Link turned to the blonde human. "Hugh… he made his choice, and… He proved himself the hero he was destined to be."

Elric opened his eyes, agreeing with the Hylian's words. "It is best we try to cope while fulfilling our mission. I don't think Hugh would want us to grieve excessively…"

Lance snapped around, firing a poisonous glare at the elf. "I've known him a lot longer than you! You don't know what he would or wouldn't want like I do!" The intensity of his sudden outburst shocked Tikal out of her tears, making her look up at the group leader. The look in her eyes quickly stiffled the human's rage. "…I'm sorry Elric. You're right… Hugh did ask that we complete the mission… We can't let his sacrifice be in…"

Lance couldn't finish his sentence, as the cart had violently collided with the guardrail at the end of the tracks. The sudden cease in motion sent the six sprawling to the ground before the fallen cart. Not too far ahead was the light of the outside world. "Wow… that was fast. I thought the tunnel would take at least another 20 minutes."

"What's out there Rand? Do you know?"

"Spriggan. It's one of the few dwarven towns in the outside world." Picking up his axe, he began to walk toward the cave's exit. "We can rest there, regroup." Nodding their agreement, the others followed.

The dwarves took in the weary warriors readily, calling Rand to speak with the local High Council. Lance shut himself in one of the rooms they provided, leaving the remaining four to discuss their options. "So what should we do?"

Shadow looked back toward the section of town by the main gate. "I think I saw an Armory on our way in. We should take a look, see if we can improve our defensive gear." The Darkman's idea was very well received, and they turned to go straight away.

However, a rumbling in Link's pocket stopped him in his tracks. "Go on without me, I have to take this." Running back to the rooms for some privacy, he added "Pick me up something good!"

"Wait, we…" Elric's outstretched hand dropped as the boy shut his door. "…don't know what size you'll need…"

"Come on, we'll guess what he is." With an exasperated sigh, he followed Shadow back to the shop.

Meanwhile, Link pulled out the magic stone, sitting heavily on the bed. Tetra could sense his pain immediately. "Link? What's wrong? What happened?"

Hesitating for a moment, the boy answered "After we collected the Earth Shard… there was an ambush… We were trapped by three powerful mages… They were the ones trying to set the Chaos entity free."

"What?! You already…?"

"No, we couldn't even touch them. All of our attacks were worthless, and they reflected each and every elemental power that we have collected so far. Only the Fire Mage could potentially have been hurt with Water, but…"

Tetra absorbed the scenerio and audibly shuddered. "The other two would block… What did they control?"

"Water and Wind. I'm not sure what those are weak against, but until we get the right shards… Anyways, it looked hopeless. There was a minecart nearby, but we couldn't all get into it and get it moving before the Mages fried us with their magic."

"You're alive now." Tetra pointed out. "How did you escape?"

Link sighed. "Hugh… He used his strongest attack to get the speed he needed to push the rest of us into the cart and send it rolling… but he…" The boy clenched his eyes shut and sighed again, unable to finish.

Tetra gasped. "He stayed behind, didn't he?! He had to know that was suicide!"

"Yeah… we know…"

The pirate captain sat on her side of the connection, speechless. Something didn't add up. "But… but that can't be right… I saw seven… Seven fighting the huge shadow… If Hugh's dead…"

"Then there are only six." Link suddenly remembered something. "Wait… When we got the fourth shard, Farore gave me my second spell… but she also told me not to lose hope with what was about to happen! She knew! She had to have known!"

The noise through the stone told Link that his girlfriend had hopped off the seat she was on, most likely her bed. "The Hugh's choice must have been a part of destiny… If Farore knew it would happen beforehand, then it would make sense."

Before he could respond, a loud knock rang from his door. "Hey kid, how much longer you gonna be? Not even Lance took this long, and he was practically a brother to the guy!"

Scowling at the door, Link sighed. "That's Shadow. A real pain in the ass sometimes, as you can probably tell… I think they may have our new supplies ready. We agreed to get new armor and things like that. You know, just in case…"

"I understand. I love you." Link smiled, a small feeling of relief growing within him. "I know the Gods will protect you until you return. Until then, take care of yourself!" Nodding affirmation before pocketing the Charm again, Link walked over to the door with more energy than he had when he had entered. Though Hugh's downfall had hurt the team, it was clear that his actions also kept the world's chance of survival alive.

Going outside, he observed the new attire of the group. Shadow still wore most of his old equipment, but the chestplate and wristguards had been reinforced with mithril plating. Elric's hunting tunic now covered a light chain-mail shirt, and he also sported brand new plated shoulder guards. Tikal wore her new mithril vest over her old dress, and handed the young Hylian a package. "You left before we could ask you your size, so we made our best guess. If it doesn't fit right, Rand can help exchange it."

Opening his gift, Link beheld a tunic woven so intricately from green threads of mithril that it appeared to be metallic cloth. Unfolding it, he found that it was just the right size. "Wow, nice job, guys! This will fit perfectly… hey, where's Lance and Rand?"

"Aran's armor didn't suit him, so they went back to exchange it. They shouldn't be much longer…" No sooner had Shadow said that, the pair in question rounded the corner with their own new armor. Though the dwarf merely replaced his old dented mithril armor for a brand new suit, Lance's choice made him look more like a professional knight. The youth wore a full chestplate with shoulder guards, plated gloves, and shining new boots. After him looking over, Shadow said with a smirk, "That looks like your father's style. You're definitely an Aran."

Ignoring the ebon warrior, Lance asked "So what do we do now?" Though he did try to mask it, frustration was still clearly evident in his voice. The others looked at each other breifly before answering that they didn't know. "Great. Just great. We can't just sit on our asses all day!"

"May we offer a suggestion?" Turning in surprise, the party saw Anri and Sol hovering a few feet away. Between them was a small white gem, its glow dimly visible in the bright sunlight. "We know what happened and what it will bring. Our master and the other Chaos Mages have agreed that things have grown too far out of hand for you to handle as you are."

"Because of this, we bring you this gem on behalf of the mages. With it, your powers will grow, and you will each be able to harness even more Chaos Control techniques. Some will even be usable by Link."

"**_WHAT?!_**" Each and every one of them recoiled fiercely at Sol's words. "Why weren't we given that freedom before?!"

"Because we had all hoped you would be able to collect the shards and save the seal before the darkness grew too powerful. It's clear that the evil is growing faster than Master had foreseen…" The two fairies fluttered uneasily under the party's collective glare of annoyance. "Look, we're as upset at Hugh's fate as you are, but if you don't get stop those Mages, the entire world is doomed. The only way to do that now is to use the more powerful, more dangerous Control moves."

Lance nodded slowly, letting the information sink in. "Alright, then how will we know what our new powers are?"

Anri smiled. "That's where we come in. We will tell you what you can do as your abilities develop, since Master wants us to accompany you from here on out." A murmur of approval arose from the party. "However, he'll still need one of us at the Temple to keep things under control there, so only one of us will be with you at a time. I hope that's okay."

Elric grinned. "That'll be fine. So which one will join us first?"

Sol flew a few circles around his sister. "She will. I need to help clean up a mess I made in the potion room, but if you want to switch, she can warp home and send me."

"Why would we need to…?"

"Each of us know a lot about the things you will encounter, but not everything. If I don't know, there's a chance Sol will. Also, we each have our own additional abilities. For example, I can improve your defenses for a short time with a Guard spell, while Sol can help you escape with Egress. Just don't think we can provide endless support. Our magic has a limit, just like yours, and if we run out, neither of us are any good to you."

"Besides, it would be better that you learn to harness your own abilities instead of relying on ours. Now, if that's everything, I'll be at the temple. See ya!" With a final smile to all of them, Sol shimmered away.

Anri turned back toward the Protectors and set the gem in Lance's pendant, the white stone becoming the dragon's eye. Instantly, the four shards in the pendant's ring flashed with red, aqua, blue, and white light, making each warrior feel stronger. "You'll feel the effects quickly. When we face the next monster, I'll explain your new abilities as we go. For now, I suggest that you rest for a bit. Master sensed that the Dark Mages have returned to Makai for the time being, so we should take advantage of that and regroup."

Link nodded. "I agree. A little recuperation time would be good for all of us."

"Alright, then it's settled." Lance started walking back towards the Inn, gesturing the others to do the same. "We head out at dawn."

**__**

End Chapter 28

Sol- It's gonna be a bit weird without Anri around all the time.

RCM- You'll adjust. Now, I have an announcement that I'd prefer I didn't have to give… As most of you know, I'm frequently tied up by school, among a number of other things. I don't have nearly as much time or energy to write this as I once did. So, I'm warning you that my updates will be rather… spread out from here. I have no idea when the next one will be, so I ask that you all bear with me and be patient. I won't stop writing, but without free time… well, I'm sure you all understand.

Sol- We'll see you later.

RCM- Farewell.


	29. Evolution of Power

RCM- Sorry it's been so long… school's been a bitch.

Sol- The good news is that we're practically ready to post two chapters right now!

RCM- Solaris, stop. I'm still working on that last scene, don't get their hopes up.

Sol- Sorry sir…

RCM- Anyway, as always, I don't own any of the copyrighted material present within this story.

Sol- In this installment, the Chaos Protectors will be learning to control their new abilities in the Rythessa plains.

RCM- Enjoy the show.

**__**

Chapter 29

Evolution of Power

Upon leaving Spriggan, the party began to travel through the Rythessa plains, heading for the next town. Having both of Gohdan's crystal shards in their possession, their next goal was to secure the two in the Dark Continent of Evil: Makai. As they made their way south, weak field-dwelling monsters would attack in small groups. The furry imps, giant mice, and numerous ChuChus couldn't hinder their progress though, quickly falling to the warriors.

However, to Anri's dismay, not even a single one of them was dispatched with the Protector's new attacks. "Hey Lance?" The blonde glanced over his shoulder at the fairy floating there. "Is there a reason you haven't used your Chaos Control magic all day? We've been moving for hours and you haven't tried a single one of your Earth moves, nor the new enhancements for the other elements."

"Why waste the energy?" Shadow scoffed, backhanding another imp that had tried to jump him. "No point using our powers on such weak vermin." As if to emphasize the Darkman's point, the tiny green devil burst apart into a cloud of smoke as soon as it hit the ground.

"Even so, you can't learn your new skills if you don't practice." Slightly agitated by the show of arrogance, the small red fairy began to flit about, somewhat aimlessly. Before she realized it, she was face to eyeball with a large, thickly-muscled Prairie Troll. "YAH!!" Badly startled, she zipped back behind Lance. "Is that tough enough for you Shadow?!"

With a snicker, the ebon warrior grasped his weapon in both hands, the tool morphing over into gloves. Out of each, a set of three sharpened stone claws extended from the shining black knuckles, each claw roughly 9 inches in length. His snicker turned into a roar as he charged forward. "Spire Claw!"

Though the three spinning slashes were all direct hits, the magical attack had little effect on the Earth-aligned troll. "Nice try." With a swing of it's heavy club, the hairy monster sent Shadow flying straight into Link.

Noticing the lack of effectiveness, Tikal began to cast Tornado Hold. However, something within her was making her feel as though she was capable of more with the elemental power. Instead of releasing the energy she had gathered, she continued to charge wind magic into her staff. After another few moments, the white glow shifted to an aquamarine blue. "What's… this power…?"

Anri flew over to her, smiling at the colorful magic at her weapon's tip. "You've channeled the power of Wind to the next level. Tornado Hold is the first, now you can attack with the second! Use it!"

"Tempest!" The magic surged from her staff as she swung it forward, the blue energy creating a raging cyclone from the wand's head. The spiraling blast struck the troll squarely in the chest, inflicting considerable damage to the green beast. "Lance! Finish it!"

Wind energy wrapped itself around the swordsman's blade, leaping off as he slashed downward. The razor-like blast cut cleanly through the Prairie Troll's torso, arcing back to slice up the rest of the monster. The elfin mage gasped. "Oh my God… That wind attack… That was Wind Cutter! That was _Hugh's_ move!"

The red fairy nodded as the troll's remains blew away in the breeze. "That's hardly surprising. Both of them use swords, so it's only natural for Lance to have access to the same moves Hugh learned. It's likely that he knows a number of his other moves too."

"But what about Pyro Dance?" Link had just gotten out from under Shadow, who was still cursing from the 'lucky shot' the troll hit him with. "That move was reserved for him, wasn't it?"

"That's right, only the destined Master of Fire can harness the flaming might of the Pyro Dance. However, if he had received your enhancements, the Dance would likely have grown in power too. I think each of your Master Control moves have advanced some, to be honest. I'm just not sure how yet."

The ears of both elves twitched, each one looking toward the southeast. "I guess we'll find out soon enough." The archer gestured to where he and Tikal were looking. "Look's like we got company… and a lot of it."

Link pulled out his telescope for a closer look. "Hey, it looks like they're all banded together under that big yellow one."

"Let me see." Link pulled away, holding the telescope so the fairy could look. "Hmm… Yeah, that's a Spark Ogre… I think your newest powers will prove very useful against him. And I'd advise using your other ones against the goblins too."

Link put away the telescope and drew his sword. "I agree. The little ones may be weak on their own, but they were armed to the teeth and outnumber us by a lot."

Shadow laughed, his Spire Claws withdrawing and forming his traditional scythe. "Sounds like my kind of party."

Lance casually spun his sword into his other hand, smirking. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that." As the small army of enemies advanced, Link couldn't help but be reminded of the Bokoblins from his old adventures. Very similar physically, these goblins bore swords, maces, axes, and lances, with a few spears thrown into the mix. Lance noticed something else about the horde: The weaponry was divided by skin color. Red goblins wielded the maces, brown ones carried twin axes, yellows held swords, and the hovering greens carried the spears and lances. "Am I right in thinking those colors signify the elemental alignment of those guys?" The red fairy nodded affirmation to the team leader. "This should be interesting…"

The large, muscular commander stopped the advance, calling out in a gruff voice. "You weaklings shall not pass further through my plains. Chaos cannot and will not be stopped."

The yellow humanoid's taunts were abruptly cut off as a stone spire slammed into his chest. Reeling back in pain, the ogre glared angrily at the elf that had fired the projectile. "We're not interested in your opinions. Now move aside or suffer the consequences." To further his threat, Elric launched another Spire Arrow at the yellow goblin to the leader's immediate left. Earth's elemental superiority to Thunder caused the weaker monster to be blown apart, the dust cloud rapidly dissipating in the cool breeze.

Clearly, the ogre was a slow learner. "Attack!" The ranks of the army broke apart, converging onto the small group of heroes.

"Everyone! Spread out and take out as many as you can! Don't hold back!" As Lance called out his orders, he launched a fierce, white wave into the fray. The wave of energy shredded its way into and through the ground, opening a large fissure underneath the mass directly in front of them.

Though the greens hovered over the destruction from Lance's Fissure Slash unharmed, the other elemental types were not so lucky. The numerous yellows that fell into the abyss never climbed back out, and the reds and browns that were able to just ended up being killed off quickly by a trio of Aqua Sword waves. "Lance, the Red ones are Fire, Yellow is Thunder, Brown is Earth and Green is Wind! Use your magic according to the types you're attacking to pack the most punch!"

"We know Anri," Link said, leaping over the crevice with a spin slash. The Wind Goblins shrieked in pain before shattering at the touch of the Hylian's blade. "It's not that hard to put two and two together."

Anri gave an indignant huff as she turned to Shadow, who was amusing himself rampaging through a slew of Earth Goblins with the Berserker as a sword. "Shadow, why don't you try a Wind Shredder attack? Charge the Wind Cutter until the color of the energy changes!"

Hearing Anri's suggestion, the Darkman backed off a bit and began gathering power into the blade. Within a matter of moments, the white glow took on a violet hue. Slashing downward, he launched a jagged wave of energy forward, the blast as tall as the warrior himself. Instead of homing in like the lower-level attack, the Wind Shredder plowed right through the entire horde of Earth Goblins, as well as anything else in its path. Even though their elemental alignment granted the following group of Wind Goblins resistance to the attack, the sheer force of the blow weighed heavily on their endurance. Another similar blast from Lance, this one yellow, finished the job. "If they're both the same attack, why was mine a different color?"

Anri flew over, easily avoiding a green goblin's spear. "Charged moves like the Wind Shredder gain the extra power by tapping into the innate energy of the user's own natural element. Since you and Shadow each have different natural elemental alignment, your charge colors are going to be different."

"That's why Tikal's was blue… if mine was yellow, does that mean…?"

The fairy refused to answer, redirecting the warrior's attention back to the fight at hand. "Less talking, more fighting! You're getting surrounded, use a Fire Spin!"

As the human swordsman took back some of his elbowroom, his Hylian partner used Farore's Wind to dish out some destruction of his own. Flitting from one enemy group to the next, he cut a number of them down with a single spin attack before vanishing in a greenish-white flash. As the goddess had said, the goblin hordes were confused out of their skulls. However, out of pure dumb luck, one of the red goblins, swinging his flaming mace wildly, struck Link hard. Though the boy didn't take much damage, the blow left the him dazed long enough for the mob to spot and apprehend him. "Argh! No!"

"Hold on Link!" A brown disc landed at the feet of the monsters, erupting violently into a startling array of spikes as one of them touched it. The Spire Trap skewered Link's captors, allowing the Hylian to warp to relative safety.

Smiling at the elfin archer, Link cried "Thanks Elric!" before resuming his attack pattern.

Almost two hours later, the warriors were beginning to tire. Luckily, the number of enemies was also dwindling fast. The few Wind Goblins that were left were keeping their distance, attacking from high above with their throwing spears, using their wind magic to summon the weapons back afterwards. Agitated with the cowardly tactics, Shadow's eyes glowed red as he made an upward gesture with his hand. A pillar of fire erupted from underneath the monsters, reaching up and overtaking them. "Hmph… goddamn pests…" Satisfied with Fire Tower's effectiveness, he turned to block the frenzied attacks of the last Thunder Goblin's sword, laced with electricity. The assault ended up being a diversion, the real attack coming from behind.

Luckily, the last of the Earth Goblins didn't get the chance to bring their heavy stone axes onto the ebon warrior's back. Before the blows could strike, an explosive burst from the Fire Arrow's charged counterpart tore the assassins to pieces. Elric then turned to fire another Flare Missile at the Thunder Goblin. "Thank me later."

"I could've handled them." Shadow growled back, noticing Tikal using the water equivalent of Fire Tower on the final three red goblins. "Heh… girl's got talent… I couldn't get my Hydro Pillar to move like that…"

"Jealous are we?"

The Darkman scoffed. "I'm aware that she's Mistress of Water, moron. Her Water spells are always going to be better than any of ours will… Heads up. Looks like bossman's taking on the leader. Damn, that thing looks pissed."

Following Shadow's gaze, Elric saw Lance was indeed facing off against the Spark Ogre. Once sufficing with taking pot shots at the heroes from the safety of the back lines, the demon roared to meet Lance's challenge. "That's it, mortal! Now you die!"

Though panting slightly, the leader of the Chaos Protectors brought his sword up in a battle stance. "That's what you think." The other five quickly gathered by his side, just as ready for battle. "I'd say the odds are in our favor."

"We shall see!" The enraged demon slammed his warhammer into the ground, sending a flurry of electric sparks toward them. As Shadow leapt over the attack, he performed a spinning forward flip, throwing a brown cross at the beast in the process. To the others' dismay, the projectile buried itself into the dirt just before the monster's feet. "HA! You missed!"

As he landed, the ebon warrior couldn't keep himself from laughing. "Did I?" Like when he summoned the Fire Tower, the Darkman's eyes glowed as he gestured upwards with his wrist. As he completed that small hand motion, four large stone pillars rose up around the ogre, slamming down on him like an oversized bear trap. Not only did the pressure cause a ton of damage, but the spires lining each pillar's inner face also drove into the fiend's skin, adding to the damage. "I would've said that you were caught by my Spire Trap."

With a roar, the ogre broke free, severely weakened and bleeding. "You… you cannot win…"

Shaking her head, Tikal once again gathered energy in her staff. This time, the grayish glow sparkled as she spoke. "That…" she calmly said, pointing the wand at her foe, "is where _you_ would be wrong." A fierce white beam erupted from the staff's sapphire, piercing the monster. The magic's light turned the beast to stone, which Shadow promptly shattered with his Spire Claws.

"I've got to admit, that Petrifier spell is pretty damn cool."

With a sigh, the elfin mage put her staff away. "That was for Hugh…"

Though her words were barely more than a whisper, the others all nodded their agreement. The fighting spirit he had was embedded in their hearts, and would not be extinguished until the Infinite Gate was saved. Turning towards the town on the horizon, Lance uttered a mild oath. "There's no way in hell we're going to get there before dark now..."

Link pulled out the telescope again, using it to get a judgment on distance. "Well if we hurry, we can get there not too long after sunset. I don't see any more anywhere near here… well, at least not any that will be able to cross our path."

"Alright then, we'll make a break for the town. Tikal, if you don't mind, could you heal us some?" Tikal didn't even bother taking out her staff again, casting Shielding Mist using only her hands. "Wow… your power's growing more than we realized." Silently noting her blushing, Lance turned to Shadow. "Now, if you could give us some extra speed?"

Smirking, Shadow nodded. "Ah, I see. One express ticket to Bridge coming up." As the magic took effect, Lance grinned.

"Perfect. Let's get moving then." With the Agility spell's added speed, he took off running toward the next town, the other five not far behind.

**__**

End Chapter 29

RCM- I think they got a pretty good workout, don't you?

Sol- But if you think they're gonna get rest as soon as they get to town, think again. Something's gone wrong in the town of Bridge, and the group can't get shelter until it's taken care of.

RCM- Thank you Sol. Now, as always, I thank you for reading and hope that I can get you more material quickly. With the semesters changing, I may get more writing time, so… here's hoping.

Sol- I'm hungry, can we get a pizza?

RCM- Sure, just give me a minute to wrap up.

Sol- Cool! (flies off)

RCM- Well, that's pretty much it. Until next time, dear readers… Farewell! (vanishes in a burst of flame)


	30. The Deadland

RCM- I apologize for the long wait between updates… The new semester has given me even less time to work than the old one did…

Sol- We haven't been able to work on anything related to the story in over 3 weeks! It's ridiculous!

RCM- Because of this, I have an unfortunate announcement to make… This will be the last update for a while, at least until the workload lightens again… Believe me, this is not something I want to be saying…

Sol- We hope you understand… In the meantime, let's proceed to Chapter 30.

RCM- In this episode, the party searches for the source of the curse plaguing Bridge, and Lance finds himself face to face with an old enemy.

Sol- As always, we don't own any of the copyrighted material present in this story.

RCM- I will not be making any closing comments for this chapter… So until my hands become untied by schoolwork, I bid you a fond farewell.

Sol- Bye!

(both vanish)

**__**

Chapter 30

The Deadland

The dark streets that met the party as they entered the town were not encouraging. "This is weird… where is everybody?"

Elric's question echoed through the shadows, adding to the desolate feeling they all felt. However, not long after, a tiny sliver of light emerged from one of the doors. Someone was peeking out. "You'd best find some shelter fast, strangers. This place isn't safe at night anymore."

Link was about to ask why, but Shadow stopped him. Sniffing the air, he shifted his weapon into a scythe. "There is death among us… Living death…"

"Shadow, what are you… ARGH!" A floating purple skull slammed into the back of Lance's head, abruptly cutting him off. As the small demonic creature began wrapping six bony tendrils around toward his face, he shook off his confusion and noticed what was going on. "The hell?!" Ripping the skull off, he sliced it in half with his blade.

Lance quickly realized it wasn't the only one. Elric was busy firing volley after volley of arrows at the advancing skulls, shattering many of them. Link cursed under his breath before joining the elfin archer. "I hate Bubbles…"

"No, Bubbles are always engulfed in blue or red fire… these are Specters…" A chattering sound from behind them caused Shadow to spin on his heel. A new group of enemies were charging around the corner, their small 'bodies' enveloped in blue flame. "Now THOSE are Bubbles!"

One of the new enemies struck Tikal before she could completely turn around. While the flames licked at her, they did very little actual damage. Unfortunately, that wasn't their only function… "Aah! Why can't I pull out my staff?! It won't move!"

Link glanced over and saw the hazy glow in her panicked eyes. "It's the Bubble's curse! You won't be able to attack until it wears off. It should only last for a few minutes, so just don't get hit again until you can strike back!" Noticing another Bubble closing in on him, the Hylian warped to a nearby roof. His would-be attacker slammed into the wall behind where he had been, stunned long enough for the boy to finish the threat. "Ok, this is getting old." Trying something new, Link focused the magic of Din's Fire into his blade. Instead of wrapping the sword in flames like he had hoped, the mystic fire caused a small pillar of fire to spiral up in front of him. Another pillar burst forth next to it as the first fizzled, and within moments, eight pillars had encircled him. As the eighth faded away, the entire immediate area erupted into concentrated explosions, wreaking havoc on the undead enemies.

Shadow blinked, completely blown away by the sight. Not only was the magical attack immense, but it also left both the homes and the heroes completely unharmed. "How the hell…? Kid, where'd you get that kind of power?!"

With a shrug, Link glanced down to his sword. To his surprise, three circular indentations appeared on the hilt, arranged in a pyramid. The circle at the top glowed briefly, the light fading to reveal a four-armed spiral. As soon as she saw it, Anri began flitting around the Hylian excitedly. "Wow, that was fast. I didn't think you'd be able to use Bombos _this_ soon."

The others turned toward the fairy, clearly confused. "Huh?"

"Bombos is one of the three Chaos powers that only Link will be able to use. They're derived from the powers that his world's Goddesses gave him, infused with elemental power. Each one requires three specific elements to use, and the one currently active will always be the one in the upper circle. Bombos requires Fire, Wind and Earth.

Link blinked in confusion, looking more closely at the new engravings on his sword. "So how do I use the others when I learn them?"

"When you get the elements you need to activate a Chaos spell, the emblem will add itself to your sword's hilt. As you focus the Goddess power into your blade, the emblems will switch positions on their own so you can use them at will."

"That's all well and good, but can we deal with the pest problem _before_ the tutorial?" Banging on the door from earlier, Shadow called for the occupant to return. As the door cracked open, he plainly asked, "Where are all these ghouls coming from?"

A short while later, the six found themselves at the gates of a haze-filled graveyard. "This looks like fun…" Elric said dryly. To light the way, he lit up a Fire Arrow, letting the flame's glow break through the fog.

"Come on, let's do this fast so we can get some sleep." Lance led the way into the mist, watching carefully for any attackers. They didn't have long to wait. "What was that?!"

Elric spun around, letting the arrow illuminate the area around them. "I'm not sure, but I heard it too… Wait! There!" From a nearby grave, a skeleton was digging itself out, armed with a sword and shield. Luckily, it wasn't a Stalfos. "Well… this is odd…"

The Darkman looked with confusion at the creature, which had just finished digging itself free. "Odd indeed… It looks more like the remains of a soldier brought back to life than a real demon…"

The skeleton charged forward, sword swinging. "Looks like an enemy's an enemy. Elric?" The Fire Arrow flew right between the creature's eyes, incinerating the zombie warrior.

"We got two more coming in from the left. These ones have skin." Shadow sent a pair of Wind Cutters their way, each hitting cleanly. One of the undead creatures, resembling the corpse of a clown, was ripped to shreds. The other laughed off the blow, its thick rusting armor absorbing the hit. With a shriek, the rotting zombie clumsily lifted its sword and sliced forward, sending a sharp wave of red energy into the Darkman. "Argh!"

The armored zombie raised its blade for a second shot, but a sudden flurry of fireballs reduced the threat to a pile of cinders. "Careful, lad. There's more of them coming this way!" Rand cautioned, holding his axe in one hand and a warhammer in the other. Both were glowing in fiery red energy.

Lance fired off a blast of Crystal Sword shards before asking, "Where'd you get the hammer?"

"Picked it up from that bastard ogre after he bit the dust." Slamming his new weapon into the ground, a bright flash of flame rose and destroyed three more armored zombies. "Looks like they ain't givin' up yet. Go on ahead, I can handle this alone."

"No, Rand. There are too many of them."

"I can kill many at once with both Heat Axe and Flare Hammer. Don't worry about me, just end this nonsense and stop whatever's causing it!"

Elric shot another volley of arrows into the growing mass of undead monsters, the flaming tips eliminating the cursed clowns. "Lance, I'll stay too, give some extra cover fire. Go! We'll keep them off your back!"

Nodding, Lance led the others deeper into the graveyard. It didn't take long for the nest threat to make its appearance. "Oh damn, not more dragon zombies…" The three decomposing creatures sluggishly pulled themselves from the dirt, foul gas escaping their jaws. Luckily for the heroes, the wings were too corroded to be of any use to the monsters. "Good, they can't fly like that other one did…"

As their glowing yellow eyes settled on the warriors, the creatures began to advance. "Let's finish this quickly." Link cried, sending three arrows into the center dragon's face. Though all three hit, they had little effect. "Uh… ok, maybe I should've used magic arrows…" The ice-tipped arrows had a much better effect, freezing the center zombie solid.

"Excellent!" Tikal froze the remaining two, motioning for Lance and Shadow to continue. "We'll keep them on ice while you finish the job! The graveyard can't be much bigger! Hurry!"

As they approached the mausoleum at the furthest end of the cemetery, a small pumpkin lying in the path suddenly expanded to over ten times its original size, completely blocking the way. Several vines expanded underneath it, waving about like tentacles, lifting the obstacle off of the ground. In its center opened a wide, gaping mouth and a single bloodshot eye. "Holy shit…"

"I'll handle this, Lance. You get inside." With a roar, the ebon warrior leapt upward, firing a Twin Dream into the creature's eye. As the beast fiercely recoiled from the blow, Shadow cast Agility on his human ally. "Go! Now!" Taking advantage of his speed boost, Lance wove his way through the pumpkin ghost's tendrils and into the gray stone building.

The shadows within blocked everything from view. To compensate, Lance charged Fire energy into his blade, the red glow illuminating the dark confines of the mausoleum. On the far side, a pulsating black vortex shimmered in the magical light. "That's probably it…" As he approached, the vortex collapsed on itself, reforming into a humanoid creature. "What the hell?!"

"Hell?" The apparition chuckled darkly, "Is that where you want to go? Is that where you want me to send your pathetic little soul?" The shifting shadow finished changing, revealing the form of a Darkman, back to Lance. "That can be arranged…"

The red glow around the boy's blade intensified to a golden hue. "You're the one that caused this?"

Hearing Lance's voice clearly this time, the Darkman seemed to perk up. "Well, well, well… Lance Aran, we meet at last…"

Lance gripped his sword a little tighter, slightly unnerved at the Darkman's tone. "And you are…?"

"Oh, how rude of me! And to you of all people… I assumed you would know me from before…"

"You Darkmen are all the same to me."

"I'm sure Bel'Tasur would hate to hear you say that, after all he's done for you… Oh, I'm sorry, the traitor goes by 'Shadow' now, doesn't he?" The black apparition laughed. "What a weak excuse of a Darkman! Aligning himself with the light, it's revolting."

"Enough talk! Face me coward!"

"My, my… such a temper…" Laughing, the figure spun around to face him, its cape whipping the air as it moved behind him. Lance noticed that the demon's eyes were closed. "Nothing like your Father!"

Lance's blood ran cold at those words, recognition overtaking him. He _did_ know that voice. "You… it was You!"

"That's right boy!" The Darkman's eyes flashed open, the unnatural glow from them almost paralyzing. They were blood-ruby red. "I am Neh'Kdos! Leader of the Darkman tribe and your father's executioner!"

Lance's shock was rapidly converting to rage. The emotional reaction to finally confronting the one responsible for his father's death was taking a severe toll on his senses. "You've been a plague to my race and my family for far too long! Prepare to die!"

Neh'Kdos merely narrowed his eyes, the malicious grin on his face never fading. "Oh no, young Aran… mine is not the soul to depart this day…" The dark warrior extended his arms, each hand holding a small orb of energy. One was glowing green, the other red. "You have a choice, child. You can flee this place now, and perhaps survive long enough to witness the triumphant return of Chaos, or you can stay and face me in a duel of shadows if you dare, but know that if you do you will not be leaving this place alive."

"Bring it on, murderer."

"Very well…" Crossing his arms, Neh'Kdos fused the two orbs together, the red overtaking the green. "Your fate is sealed…" Without warning, he uncrossed his arms again, sending a wave of shadow surging towards Lance.

"Gah!" The startled human shielded his eyes as the black flash engulfed him. After a few seconds, he moved his arm to find he was no longer in the mausoleum. The area seemed to be devoid of anything, only murky shadows surrounding him. Out of the fog lining the floor rose Neh'Kdos, hovering a short distance in front of Lance. Flashing another wicked smile, the Darkman morphed into the pulsing vortex he first appeared as, splitting apart into six identical portals.

"Let the shadow duel commence!"

**__**

End Chapter 30


	31. Necromancer

I'm back, but I'm still kinda tied up with various things… Even so, I have 3 new chapters in the works for you all, which I hope you enjoy. I've sent Sol off to join the rest of the party, partly due to the site's new rules, partly because Author's Note conversations were beginning to bore me anyway. In any event, I don't own any of the copyrighted material present in this story. Now, on with the show.

**__**

Chapter 31

Necromancer

"Why don't you face me like a man, coward!"

The Darkman laughed, the sound echoing from the six portals slowly orbiting Lance. "And here I thought you were one of the great Chaos Protectors… Surely you are able to handle a little… ADVERSITY!"

"Argh!" The blonde cried out in pain as a sudden slash tore into his shoulder. Clutching it with his left hand, he spun around frantically to find the source of the blow. It wasn't even close to what he was expecting. "What the hell…?"

Retreating into the portal behind him was a greenish apparition. A pair of long sinuous arms each brandished three thick claws, one set of which was dripping the boy's blood. The thin, elongated head blinked its eight eyes as the mandibles at its end twitched happily. "First hit honors appear to be mine, boy." With a creepy chirp, the entire monstrous form vanished into the dark hole. As Lance tried to follow with his sword, all he got for his trouble was a powerful electric shock from the vortex's energy field. "You fool, you can never reach me as long as I'm within my shadow realm! Just give up and save yourself the embarrassment!"

"How…?" Lance clutched his sword a little tighter, looking frantically for the creature Neh'Kdos had apparently transformed into. _'If I can't attack him inside the portals, I'll have to wait for him to come to me…_' He thought bitterly, '_And that hit really screwed up my arm… I can't use my shield now…_'

A chattering sound to his left immediately dispersed his thoughts. Spinning around, he narrowly escaped another blow. "Not bad, child. You're catching on!" The shadow ghoul again retreated into the vortex, and the violet ring of energy bordering it vanished.

'_Huh…? That wasn't there before… I wonder…_' Waiting and listening carefully, keeping a close eye on the edges of each vortex. This time he heard a slight whooshing sound, and as he turned to face it, saw Neh'Kdos charging toward him again. "Whoa!" Rolling out of the way, he looked toward the portal his foe had flown out of. The outer rim was a vibrant violet. '_That's it! The color shifts before his attacks! If I pay close enough attention, I can nail him!_' Looking around quickly, he waited for the next one to shift color. Again, it was directly behind him. "Not this time!"

"Gah! Impressive!" The creature cried as it retreated again, this time with one claw missing. Lance's counterattack had left it severed at his feet. "However, you're mistaken if you believe you've accomplished anything!" Poking its head out of the portal again, the beast snarled. Its dismembered claw had grown back completely. "You'll have to do better than that!"

With a low growl, Lance began charging energy into his blade, not even paying attention to which element he was using. Closing his eyes, he held his sword out in front of him and waited, intently listening for the next attack. '_Come on… I know you're coming… Do it…_'

Neh'Kdos didn't disappoint. "Fool. Enjoy the afterlife!" The shadow ghoul let loose a feral roar as it erupted from the portal directly behind Lance, its claws poised to rip the human warrior to shreds.

"You first." Sensing the attack, Lance crouched before pushing off of the ground into a neat backflip over the charging monster. Shifting his body slightly, he positioned himself to land on the surprised creature's back, blade first. "Having fun yet?"

As the glowing blade sank between the shadow ghoul's shoulders, its roar became a shriek of pain. The energy lacing the weapon erupted into a blast of fire incinerating everything it touched. With a sickening thump, the body of the beast fell to the floor as the blaze raced into the glowing vortex. Before Lance could blink, all six portals burst into flame and vanished, leaving just himself and a pissed off Neh'Kdos in the room. Moments later, they were back in the mausoleum.

"Whoa…" Turning back to the Darkman, Lance's gaze hardened. The evil general had morphed back from the creature he had become for the fight, and was now rising from the stone floor. The only solace in the sight was the fact that the dark warrior was bleeding profusely from the wound just under his right shoulder.

"Grrugh… No one has ever survived that strategy…" Lance's resulting smirk infuriated Neh'Kdos further. "Oh no, child. This is nowhere NEAR being over!" Without warning, the Darkman lunged forward, his Berserker shifting into a devilish trident.

Unfazed, Lance brought his shield up to bear, blocking the enraged thrust. "You're not kidding, asshole!" Quickly shifting his weight, Lance pulled his shield back to the left. Since the trident's tip was still embedded in the shield, the surprised Neh'Kdos was pulled along for the ride, allowing a clean shot at his back. Lance took full advantage of the opportunity. "Tag, bastard."

"You insolent…!" Breaking free, the general shifted his weapon to a double-edged sword and began slashing furiously. Recalling his prior duel with Shadow, Lance blocked each and every attack with an almost serene grace. After quickly analyzing his opponent's movements, Lance slipped in between the flurry of slashes and retaliated with a single one of his own. The force behind the blow cut clear through the chest plate, knocking the Darkman back a few feet. "Argh!"

"What? Is that it?" Lance charged forward, hacking quickly, yet methodically, at the Darkman. Unlike the human, he was unable to block all of the blows. "For a General, you sure don't have much going for you."

"Enough!" A small explosion erupted from within the Darkman, sending a short wave of black energy straight into Lance. Shocked by the sudden attack, the boy recoiled a bit, back to where he was defending mere moments before. "Now you die!" Acting on his foe's disorientation, Neh'Kdos rushed at Lance, intent on running him through.

"Like I said earlier…" Homing in on the furious taunt, Lance slashed forward. Though still blinded by the dark flash, he scored a direct hit. "You first."

"Lance!" The rest of the party rushed to his side as the Darkman recoiled from the blow. "Is that the source of this mess?" The haze lifting from his vision, Lance nodded, his focus never shifting from his opponent.

Curious recognition lit up in Shadow's eyes. "Can this be…? Neh'Kdos, Supreme Leader of the Darkman Army? Defeated like this? Lance, I must say I am impressed!"

Angrily fingering the cross-shaped slash wounds across his chest, the evil warrior glared daggers at the whole party, then focused his cold stare on Shadow. "Bel'Tasur, you filthy traitor… You will die for you treachery!" Neh'Kdos charged again, this time for his fellow Darkman, but Lance's Flare Blade sent him right back where he started. The flames licked at his heavily damaged armor as he snarled at the Protector's leader. "Grr… well met, Aran… Like the true hero that you are… But I am not willing to admit defeat yet. We shall meet again!" Another portal opened behind him, and with a flash, he was gone.

As the vortex disappeared, the wall directly behind it shattered, revealing a second room. A stone walkway crossed over what appeared to be a pool of an eerie green liquid. The ooze emitted an unnatural glow, adding to the creepy ambience already saturating the area. Her eyes quickly adapting to the light, Tikal pointed over to the other side of the room. "Hey, what's that up against the wall?"

Lance examined the bridge before attempting to cross. As he suspected, it wasn't exactly safe. "Nightstone… Shadow, can you cast Agility on me so I can check out what's over there?"

"Of course." With the effects of the yellow magic, the human crossed the enchanted bridge, easily escaping the fall into the green pool below. Walking up to the object, Lance appeared to be puzzled. "What is it?"

"It looks like a tablet of some sort…" Running his hand across its face, he discovered an inscription. "There are some runes written here!"

"What do they say?"

Try as he could, the dim light wouldn't let him decipher the whole message. "I… can't tell for sure… I can't make out all of it in this light…"

Anri floated out from behind Link's shield. "Maybe my glow can help." Flying over, she positioned herself above the passage, illuminating the whole thing. "How's that?"

"Much better. Thanks Anri." Looking closely, he read the words silently to himself. "It looks like some sort of spell…"

"Read it." Shadow suggested, "It may hold the key to stopping the undead here."

Nodding, the human warrior turned toward the tablet. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he spoke the words written before him. "'The rising sun will eventually set, the newborn's life will fade. From sun to moon, moon to sun, give peaceful rest to the living dead.'" At his words, the entire building began to tremble. As the small quake grew in intensity, the green pool began to change.

Link noticed it first. "Hey look! It's turning into normal water!" As the shaking finally subsided, they all saw that the mysterious liquid had converted to a crystal-clear spring, the pure water sparkling in the moonlight coming through the doorway.

With a sigh, Lance crossed the Nightstone bridge right before Agility's effect expired. "Come on…" he said, "Let's head back to town. It's high time we get some sleep." No one disagreed.

**__**

End Chapter 31


	32. The Millennium Festival

_**Chapter 31**_

_The Millennium Festival_

The sun rose slowly the next morning, gently shining its light on the little town of Bridge. As the people finally awoke from their fearful slumber, the news of what transpired in the graveyard spread like wildfire. It wasn't long before the six were roused from their rest by the cries of the grateful community.

"Five more minutes, Grandma..." Link drowsily muttered as Elric tried to wake him up. "Just five more..."

"Sorry kid." Shadow gave the bed a powerful kick, flipping it onto its side. The Hylian occupant landed hard, sprawled on the floor next to it. "Break's over."

With a few disgruntled words under his breath, Link straightened up his room and grabbed his equipment. Like most of the others, he was too drained after the graveyard fight to change for bed, instead flopping in as he was. Only Tikal walked out of her room with fresh clothes, which she noticed instantly. "Oh my! You boys look terrible! Here, let me help you..." A quick spell later, the nice clean group exited the inn, meeting the crowd with some confusion.

"Uh... ok, what's this?"

A short, somewhat plump man walked up to them, accompanied by an aide holding a box. "Ah, you've awakened. Welcome heroes! We of the town of Bridge would like to thank you all from the bottoms of our hearts for breaking the dreadful curse over our graveyard. In appreciation of your bravery, we award each of you a medal of honor, as well as the cash reward offered by the local families." The man gestured to his aide, who opened the box. Inside were six gold medals, sitting atop a very large amount of shining coins.

"Holy..." Elric couldn't believe his eyes. "There's gotta be over 10,000 coins in there!"

"15,000 actually. As mayor of this fair village, I extend the sincerest of gratitude." The stout man took a medal and fairly tossed it around Lance's neck. "Your timing is impeccable. The monsters have been driven off just in time for the Millennium Festival, held here once every thousand years."

Looking at his medal, Link immediately noticed the markings adorning it. "Hey, Lance... Look at this..."

The human recognized the symbols instantly as well. "The element crests... Fire, Water, Wind, Earth... these other ones must be Thunder, Wood and Shadow..."

The mayor's jaw dropped, genuine curiosity plainly evident in his features. "What? These symbols have been passed down in our town's legends for generations. How do you know of their significance?"

The warriors all turned to Lance, who pulled the Dragon Pendent out from under his armor. The four crystal shards they had collected shimmered brightly in the light, each glowing its respective color. "We were chosen to use the elements those symbols represent to restore the seal of Infinite Gate. We currently hold four of the seven powers."

The crowd gasped, and excited murmurs began to circulate among the masses. "It's them! They're the Chosen Ones! They've come at last! The legends are true!"

The mayor, more excited than the rest, jumped for joy. "Oh my goodness, what a grand day indeed! Oh, glorious, glorious fortune! The fifth Millennium Festival shall be one for the history books!"

The heroes exchanged a confused glance before Shadow asked "What exactly does this 'Millennium Festival' of yours celebrate, anyway?"

The mayor's aide took this question. "Why, the first sealing of Infinite Gate, of course! Five millennia ago, the seven great heroes crossed the three continents collecting the powers of nature, coming through this very region in their quest to stop the entity known only as Chaos. It was because of their exploits that this area was cleared of the larger evil creatures, allowing for the construction of our village. Every thousand years, we celebrate the anniversary of their crossing the Rythessa Plains and honor their memory with this 3-day festival. It is a truly joyous occasion."

The mayor's smile seemed to grow even wider, if that was possible, as he added, "And now the descendants of the heroes have freed us from the vile curse plaguing us on the eve of our holiday! What glorious luck this is! Come! Come! Please stay and join in the festivities here, O Hallowed Protectors! Allow us the honor of your company as we celebrate the deeds of your forefathers, and perhaps even give you a glimpse of what to expect in your own endeavors!"

Still somewhat tired, everyone agreed to the mayor's offer, following the cheering masses further into town. It was obvious that there was a festival of some kind planned: Streamers, balloons, banners and the like were strewn up everywhere. Concession stands sat at every corner, offering a huge variety of merchandise, from food to clothing to weaponry. Lance and the others were amazed at the huge scale of everything. The aide turned to the heroes as the crowd slowly dispersed to the surrounding activities. "Feel free to explore and enjoy the fair! We'll be holding the ceremonial performance of ' The Quest of the Chosen' in the center square at sundown, so you have all afternoon to do as you please. I do hope you enjoy the show tonight! If you need anything, please, do not hesitate to ask one of the townsfolk. See you at the show!"

The aide departed with a smile, leaving the party to decide what to do. "I guess we should spread out and enjoy ourselves... We'll meet back here a half hour before sunset to go to the show together. Agreed?"

Tikal nodded. "Yes, that would be a good idea. I would like to look at the goods the vendors have."

Shadow scoffed "Women and shopping... some things never change, no matter what race they are..." Hearing the snide remark, Tikal held her staff behind her and innocently turned as if looking the other way. However, the staff was held at just the right angle so that the head of it whacked Shadow upside the head. "Ow! Hey!"

Rand grasped Shadow's arm before he could say anything more. "Come on, lad. I think you could use an ale or three. We'll be back." The dwarf fairly dragged the Darkman after him towards the nearest brewer's stall, clearly intending to drink it up.

"Well, since that's settled... Anri, would you like to come with me?"

The little red fairy floated out from her place behind Lance's cloak and landed on Tikal's shoulder. "I'd love to! Come on, let's see what they've got."

The girls headed towards the little shops, leaving the three guys to decide how they'd spend their time. "I thought I saw a few signs leading to some games," Link suggested. "Want to see what they have?"

"Sure."

"Sounds good to me." Elric smirked. "If they've got a sharpshooting game, it'll be an easy win."

"Oh yeah, hotshot? Care to bet on it?"

"You're on, little man!" With that, the elf and the Hylian ran ahead towards the game area, with Lance chuckling as he followed not far behind.

About a half hour later, Link was buying Elric an extra-large order of nachos, having lost the bet. "You sure you want to eat this stuff? It doesn't exactly look normal."

The elf laughed, grabbing the tray from his friend. "That's just the extra cheese, buddy. Don't worry about it." Sitting down at a table nearby, he pulled out a chip, fairly dripping in cheese and salsa, and ate it. The elf had eaten nachos twice before, but those two times didn't have the cheese and sauce spiked with the hardest alcohol known to human kind. The effects quickly took their toll. "Wow! I _LOVE_ these nachos!" With that, he started shoveling it all down. All the other two could do was stare.

"That... can't be natural..." Lance muttered.

"Yeah, Elric, that's gross." All three froze for a second as they heard the new voice, the chip Elric was about to bite into dripping cheese onto his chin. "And Anri says _my_ manners are bad?"

Link smiled as he caught sight of the yellow fairy. "Sol! What are you doing here?"

As Elric slurped up the spilled sauce and resumed stuffing his face, Lance added "Yeah, I thought you had to stick with the Fire Mage. Did something happen?"

Sol shook his head. "No, not really. Master had a number of dragon eggs in the lower levels of the temple, and they've just reached maturity. We trained them to act as guards against evil forces, so now I can join you guys without Anri having to go home."

"Sweet!" Elric said, his comment promptly followed by a burp.

Lance slapped his forehead, "Dude, come on! What's wrong with you?!"

"What in the world?!" Tikal and Anri came up from around the corner, the spellcaster carrying a couple shopping bags. "What happened to him? He never acts this way... unless..." Shocked realization dawned on the mage's face, and she immediately turned toward the vendor who sold the snack to the boys. "What's in the topping for the nachos?"

"4 kinds of cheeses, and a special home-made salsa mixed in with 3 shots of liquor extract."

"Oh my God..." Tikal covered her mouth with her hand, "Elric has no alcohol tolerance at all... the smallest amount makes him lose all his faculties..."

Link sighed, "So we've noticed..."

"NACHOS!!!" Elric flipped the tray over, dumping the remnants of the pile into his mouth in one motion. "Aw... that's all? I thought extra-large was supposed to be a lot..." Jumping to his feet, he nearly toppled over as he moved toward Link. "Hey! I'll play you for another order!" Right at that moment, he caught sight of Tikal, and seemed to realize just what he had been doing. "Er... Uh... I mean... heh heh... shit..."

"Elric..." The girl shook her head in disappointment, then waved her staff, disposing of the trash. "You should know better. You know that with a celebration this big, something's going to be spiked."

Lance looked at Link. "You still have that Blue Potion stuff that you used on me and Hugh?"

"Yeah..." Link pulled out the bottle containing the special liquid. "It's my last one." Handing it to Lance, he sighed. "Shoulda packed more..."

After Sol repeated his message from the Mage to his sister, the party went to find Shadow and Rand. Though they had each drank a considerable amount, neither were as tipsy as the others would expect, Shadow not showing any symptoms at all. With all of them reunited, they moved toward the center square, where the play was going to be held at sundown.

The square was the one place that made obvious the reason why the town was called Bridge. Four rivers, one from each compass direction, converged on the area, the village being a juncture for them. The Protectors had followed the Northern River down from the mines, and had planned on following the Southern to the borderlands of Makai. The Eastern and Western Rivers reached out to the open seas in either direction, not really leading anywhere of particular interest. At the very center of the square was a fountain, where the ferocity of the clashing rivers fueled its glorious flow.

And it was also at the fountain where the stage was set for the play. Like before, the crowd cheered their arrival, but stifled themselves quicker so not to interrupt the show that was about to start. As the six watched in awe, a troupe of actors performed renditions of the legends from the past, all the way back to the old wars that created the major races. However, to Lance's surprise, the monsters portrayed in the original Chaos Protector segment of the performance were very much like the evil guardians they themselves had vanquished to acquire the shards. From the Dragon Knight to the Harpy Queen, the CrabTurtle to the Dragon Golem, virtually all of their battle history was shown to them with startling accuracy. "This is creepy..." Elric whispered, the effects of the Potion returning sensibility to his mind. "This is too much like what we've seen and done..."

"Destiny works in strange ways." Shadow replied, eyes never leaving the stage, "We should watch and see if we can learn what we should do next."

Unfortunately, they weren't given much of a glimpse. As their attention shifted back to the stage, they saw the actor heroes walk into a forest setting as the curtain closed. The narrator then stepped forward and said "The heroes of legend progressed from here into the forbidden forest to our south, known to us only as 'Skull Woods,' the dark border of the evil continent of Makai. Though we know not what befell them from there, the destiny of their descendants, who honor us here today, is clear."

"Great..." Link muttered, "Let me guess..."

"Hush."

The mayor stepped up from backstage and spoke, not having noticed the exchange. "Your next goal is that same dreaded forest. Come the dawn, you should follow the Southern River to the cursed place and enter through the gates we placed there. The guard will be notified and let you pass. I thank you again, on behalf of the people here, for all you have done for us."

Bowing respectfully, the narrator concluded by saying "Good luck heroes! The rest of the legend is yours to write!"

_**End Chapter 32**_


	33. Infestation

_**Chapter 33**_

_Infestation_

"I still think it's kinda weird that they knew so much about our journey just from the tales of our ancestors. The details are just too close..."

"Elric, will you give it a rest!" Link finally burst. "You haven't shut up about it since we left the city, and that was over an hour ago!"

Tikal gave the archer a concerned look. "You have been focusing on the topic a bit heavily..."

"More like obsessing..." Rand said with a chuckle.

"I was not obsessing! I was..." He was silenced by Shadow raising his hand.

"We are almost there. This forest is home to many vile creatures, so it would be best to travel as quietly as possible." Looking hard at Elric, he added "The monsters you are accustomed to from Jarai are nowhere near as ferocious as those here. Move your concerns about the play to the back of your mind now, or stay behind. Such distractions will only lead to your death."

As the Darkman turned back towards the forest, Sol fluttered over to Anri and whispered "Is he always like that?"

"You get used to it..."

"Yeah, well it sounds like he has a bug or three in his shorts."

"I heard that." Sol went from his normal yellow to a vibrant orange at Shadow's words, mentally kicking himself for forgetting how well that race could hear. "...and speaking of bugs, INCOMING!"

Everyone sprawled to the dirt as a trio of gigantic hornets divebombed them from the tree canopy ahead of them, still a decent distance away. "What the hell are those things!"

"War wasps! There's no way we're that close to a hive..." Anri, annoyed at her brother's blindness, tapped his shoulder and pointed to the structure in question. It was actually quite close, only 20 feet from their current position. "Oh."

Shadow quickly closed the gap between them and the hive, leaping into its tree. As the first three wasps turned around for another pass, a second group of six stormed out of the nest to deal with the intruder. "I don't think so." Darting between the angry insects, the warrior positioned himself directly above the hive before crashing down into it, Berserker blazing.

With a shrill shreik, the wasps halted in midair, writhing in agony. As their queen and hive burned to ashes from the Darkman's attack, the lifeless insects fell from the sky, shattering into clouds of dust as they collided with the earth. "More Chaos creatures..."

Shadow shook his head. "No. These things do that naturally, they're not Chaos-bred. Come. We should move quickly."

The cursed forest definitely looked the part. The trees, while thick and tall, were all an ominous black, their leaves a dark red blocking most of the light from above, and the ground was covered by an eerie white mist. As they progressed deeper into the woods, Lance noticed that a number of the trees also had a strange reddish substance on their black bark, a shade lighter than that of the leaves. "Hey guys, look at this..."

Cautiously touching it with his gloved hand, Rand brought his fingers back to his nose to examine it. "Lance... it's blood..."

As Elric moved to get a better look, he heard something snap underneath his foot. Looking down in surprise, the archer waved away the mist to reveal he was standing on a small pile of bones. "Oh God!" He yelped, leaping off of them, making even more noise as he landed on more stray bones.

"I guess it's obvious why they call this place 'Skull Woods'..." Link said to no one in particular.

Meanwhile, Shadow was looking around somewhat anxiously. Though the darkness of the forest nearly hid his dark form entirely, the others could tell that something was bothering him. "Shadow, what is it?"

Arming his weapon, Shadow answered softly "We are being watched..." As soon as he said that, a huge gray creature tackled him from behind. The others never got the chance to help him, as they, too, were quickly surrounded by more monsters.

Sword drawn, Lance sidestepped one while barely blocking a slash by another, but his defensive move left him entirely open from another angle. "Ow!" Landing hard on his side, Lance raised his shield, barely intercepting a swipe aimed for his head. Whatever they were, the creatures were moving far too quickly for him to get a good look at them. "They're too fast!"

"Time Stop!" The twin flash from the fairies froze all of the evil creatures in their tracks, many of them mid-attack. However, the hefty energy cost of the high-level spell caused the siblings to fall to the ground in exhaustion.

In the meantime, the others were able to get a better look at their assailants. The creatures were almost humanoid in shape, though they bore extremely sharp claws on each of their four limbs. The tail was relatively short, but still appeared to be strong enough to crush a stone wall with a single blow, which the beasts' muscular frames also appeared quite capable of. To top it off, the elongated head bore a spiked crest, giving it the look of a demonic triceratops, needle-sharp teeth lining its snout. Shadow growled in recognition as he rose from the mist. "Mants... the scourge of the forest..."

"Mants?"

"The Mants are descendants of a demon tribe infamous for their speed. They ambush their prey as it passes within their territory, creating illusory surroundings to prevent escape..."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's kill these ones and get out o' here!"

"No, Rand! Wait!" Shadow's warning came too late, as the dwarf had already cleaved a Mant in two. "The drones reproduce by fragmentation! The only way to kill these things is by destroying the king!"

Just then, the spell freezing the monsters in place wore off, the dazed creatures realizing they could move once more. "Run for it! We gotta find the King of the Mants!" Scooping up the fallen sprites out of the mist, Lance sprinted at full speed into the depths of Skull Woods, his partners and pursuers both right on his tail. Even though Shadow managed to cast Agility on the team, they had to endure several minutes of narrow escapes and lucky blocks before they entered a clearing of sorts. As they broke the treeline, though, Lance tripped and rolled into the clearing's center, but to his surprise, the Mant horde didn't jump him. Looking back, he saw that they were all cowering in place, before they all bowed. "Huh?"

As the others skidded to a stop, Link warned "Uh... Lance? You might want to move..."

"Hello child..." Looking behind him, the blonde hero made unexpected eye contact with an exceptionally large Mant. This creature boasted five spikes along his crest in comparison to the drones' three, and it also wore a blood red cape. From such close range, the boy could easily make out the dark red blood stains on the creature's claws and grinning fangs, prompting him to roll backward to his feet outside of the immediate attack range. "I understand you were looking for me?"

Noticing the scar across the giant Mant's chest, Shadow exclaimed "Zera! So it _was _your brood who attacked us!"

The Mant king smirked, chuckling as he realized who he had before him. "Well well well! If it isn't Bel'Tasur! Imagine, the fallen Darkman getting lost in _my_ forest... how amusing! I shall take great pleasure in gnawing your bones..."

It was then that the fairies began to regain consciousness, stirring in Lance's hands. "Ooh... my head... AGH! IT'S BACK! IT'S BACK! IT'S... ow!"

"Sol, you idiot, we sent it back _here_, remember! Master sent it back to Skull Woods where _you_, like a fool, summoned it from!"

"I told you it was an accident! I didn't mean to..."

"Those fairies..." Zera's voice silenced the bickering instantly. "Ah yes... the Red Mage's, aren't they...?" The giant Mant licked his chops, making all three of them tense up. "Well... I suppose I could go for a little appetizer before my feast!" With a roar, he pounced for the pair in Lance's hands, who each screamed in fear.

Luckily for them, the demon never even got close, a small volley of Light Arrows slamming into its chest, forcing it back. "How about a 'light' snack instead?" Link sneered, fitting another glowing arrow onto his bow.

"Insolent worm!" The furious Mant roared, the swarm scurrying into position behind him. "You shall die for that... KILL THEM ALL!" As his minions charged for the others, Zera snarled "You are mine, boy!"

As his friends did their best to fight the swarm without breaking pieces off of the attackers, Link struggled to maintain his defenses against the blinding speed and ferocity of Zera's assault. His shield arm was growing numb from the numerous impacts, and his supply of tools was rendered useless from the relentless onslaught of attacks. He just couldn't pull out anything without taking a heavy hit. "Guys! ...A little... help... here... Agh!" The enraged demon had finally broken through the defense, slashing just past the edge of the boy's shield toward his chest. By sheer luck, the Hylian managed to twist his body enough to escape, but the move cost him his balance, spilling him onto the dirt.

"Time to die, child!" Rearing back, Zera lunged for Link's throat.

Suddenly, a curved blade of ice slammed into the ground directly under the airborne monster, sending a fierce pillar of frost upward into the beast. The force of the blast launched the surprised Mant King up high enough to sail clear over the Hero of Winds, its magic encasing Zera in solid ice. Shadow then completed his work by firing a wave of pulsating fire energy at the frozen creature, the intense heat vaporizing it. "You're welcome."

With Zera dead, the other Mants shreiked in pain as they burst into flame. Without their leader, they each self-destructed, ceasing to exist. As he tried to catch his breath, Link asked "Shadow... how... how did you...?"

"Save your ass?" The Darkman anticipated the question, he smirked "Level 2 elemental attacks. Lucky for us the charged Frozen Sickle can make a Frost Tower if it hits the ground... my shot actually missed." Incredulous and still a bit winded, all Link could do was nod.

"So now what?" Lance asked, using a cloth from his pack to clean his blade. "We really shouldn't still be here when night falls."

Looking around their position, Shadow smirked. "Looks like the chase took us through a majority of the woods. We should be able to reach the southern edge in about an hour or so... we've already crossed the threshold into Makai..."

"I think I might have a way to get through the rest of the forest undetected." All eyes turned to Tikal. "During the festival, I read a book that had a spell to cloak oneself from view. We could use that spell to escape the forest without being seen."

Elric nodded his approval. "Good idea. We don't want to be ambushed again." Of course, no one disagreed with that.

However, as Tikal prepared to cast the spell, Lance brought up a crucial point. "Wait. One question... How will we be able to stay together if we can't see where the others are going?" The flustered look that overtook the girl revealed that she hadn't thought of that detail.

"Maybe we could combine spells." Shadow suggested, "Tikal can cast this cloaking spell while I cast Reveal. We'll be immune to the illusions of the others, but still be protected by the invisibility."

Rand smiled. "Good thinkin', Shadow. A damn fine idea that is!"

"All right, that'll work. Ready everybody? Then let's get outta here!" With Lance's final words, the spells were cast and the party progressed to the forest's edge without further incident.

_**End Chapter 33**_


	34. Race for a Cure

_**Chapter 34**_

_Race for a Cure_

"Whew... that was not fun..." Having cleared the treeline, the party stopped to catch its breath at the base of a nearby hill. Plopping his quiver to the ground as he sat, Elric asked "Where to next?"

Climbing to the top of the rise, Shadoe surveyed the area. "Looks like we're about an hour's walk from the Gate of Kepura, the entrance to the desert. There's a small merchant's hut about halfway there, run by a Weirdling I know. Politically, he's neutral despite his race's general preference towards the Dark. I doubt he'd have a problem with us resting there for a while..." Looking quizzically at one of the group members, he leapt down again. "You okay, kid?"

All eyes turned to the Hylian, who had been taking up the rear, and they quickly saw that something was indeed wrong. A hazy look clouded his face, and he clearly seemed substantially weaker than when they fled the battlefield. "No... no, I'm... I'm... fine..." At that last word, the boy keeled over, flat onto his face.

"Link!" Rushing over, the others rolled him onto his back, and found a small patch of red staining his mithril shirt. Carefully pulling the tunic up, Lance exposed the sources of the marks: four shallow gashes adorning his side, each about a half inch wide. "Where'd he get these?"

"Oh no..." Fluttering closer to the wounds, Anri's glow illuminated a slight bluish tint around the outer edges of the cuts. "That color... he's been infected by Mant poison."

Shadow looked up, realization dawning. "He must have gotten clipped by Zera when he lost his balance during the fight... I thought he got off clean, but..."

"The mithril saved his hide, that much is certain..." Rand said, "If it were his old clothes, those swipes would be damn near fatal by now."

"Come on, guys." Lance said, lifting the ailing boy onto his back. "We've got to hurry to that Weirdling merchant. Shadow, we need Agility."

"Done." After the spell was cast, the group ran as fast as they could to the hut, their prior fatigue forgotten in the urgency of their situation.

Luckily for them, the impish creature was more than happy to accommodate. "Ah! Customers!" He greeted happily as they entered, "I haven't had guests in ages!"

"Save it, L'ebroy," Shadow snapped, cutting off the shopkeeper before he could say another word. "The boy's been poisoned. Mants."

The look on L'ebroy's face shifted instantly at the word 'Mant', his bulbous black eyes radiating the seriousness of the issue now at hand. "Bring him inside. Hurry." Once Lance put his young friend down, he took a better look at the merchant who was about to treat him. For the most part, he looked like a short, thin humanoid with brownish skin, except the head was proportionally too large for the body. His eyes were like sparkling coals, black as night and currently examining the cuts on Link's side. "Good, it's not too bad so far. I can cure this, no problem... if I got the ingredients that is. Now let's see here..." After shuffling through some papers in one of the cabinets, L'ebroy pulled out the recipe they were after and began perusing his supplies. "Lessee lessee lessee..." As he found ingredients, he tossed them over his shoulder, leaving the startled team members to catch them as they fell. "Alrighty, two Octorok shells... Blue ChuChu jelly... powdered Moblin tusk, fine grained..." After a few more moments, he cursed in a dialect that none of them recognized. "Where's the Chykka egg?"

Tikal, who had just barely managed to catch the bag of tusk powder, blinked. "What's wrong? Are you missing something?"

"I need an egg of a Chykka to blend the parts together properly... I thought I had one left in stock, but it seems I was mistaken..."

Elric asked "Well, then where can we get one?"

Shadow had to resist laughing at that. "You obviously don't know what you're suggesting. Have you ever seen a fully grown Chykka?" As expected, the elf shook his head no. "Imagine a cross between a dragonfly and a war wasp, then triple its size. They're vicious predators, and are even worse when they're protecting their young... If we need an egg, we already have a considerable fight on our hands."

"Bel'Tasur," the merchant said, not knowing the Darkman had a new name, "I think there've been some sightings of a Chykka nest somewhere in Skull Woods recently. If you hurry, you might just be able to secure an egg before the boy slips beyond any hope of recovery."

With a sigh, Lance picked up his shield off of the floor. "Looks like we're going back..."

"No." Shadow stopped him, determination evident in his voice. "If we are to save him, we need to move faster than we could possibly travel as a group. I know the area better than any of you. I'll go. Alone."

The group exchanged a glance before Lance nodded agreement. "Alright, go, but I want Sol to go with you. He can hang onto your cloak so not to hinder your progress."

The yellow fairy circled Shadow's head once before vanishing in the dark cloak. "Sure thing, Lance!" Several minutes later, the pair were back in the thick of the forest, searching for the nest. "So... are Chykkas really three times the size of normal war wasps?"

"Would I say so if they were otherwise?" The ebon warrior half-snapped, his weapon extending. "Now hush... I hear water... we're close..." Silently moving to the edge of a clearing, the pair found themselves at the bank of a stream, the flowing liquid a dark violet. Sol immediately made a face.

"Ew... that water's gross..."

"Poison..." Shadow whispered, eyes narrowed, "The water's full of it... the nest must be nearby..." Darting along the bank, Shadow followed the river against the current to a short waterfall, where a single tangled structure sat in the center of the frothing stream. "There it is..."

"Creepy..." Sol whispered, getting a better look at the nest. "Looks like it's made of tree bark... bones... and I can't tell what the other stuff is..."

Looking over the rise, the Darkman replied "The biomatter holding it together is from the Chykka. If I remember, it's also used to trap its prey." Gesturing to the water, he signaled for Sol to take a closer look. "The color's the same. The poison is coming from the ooze holding the nest together."

Nodding, the fairy rose to a higher altitude. "Hey! There's a good sized egg in the middle! I don't see anything around, so we can grab it and get outta here!"

However, as Sol darted out towards the egg, Shadow's sharp hearing picked up something he was hoping he wouldn't. "No! Wait!"

His warning came too late, as the humongous Chykka flew over the nest from beyond the falls. It's four thin wings buzzing, the massive insect cried out in rage as it saw the yellow light approaching its offspring, a sharp stinger extending from its abdomen. "Oops..."

Meanwhile, the others did their best to try making Link as comfortable as possible in his delirium. As Rand reentered the hut, Lance asked "Any sign of them?"

"Not a one..." The dwarf grumbled, "They've been in that God-forsaken place for almost an hour already..."

Placing a cool towel on Link's forehead, Tikal sighed. "The poison's spreading, and he's starting to get a fever... if they don't get back soon..."

"Tetra..." Link whispered hoarsely, "Tetra..."

The Hylian's voice instantly got the group's attention. "Is he waking up?" They all gathered around the bed expectantly, but the boy did not wake.

Anri floated closer, examining the expressions on their fallen friend's face. "I think he's dreaming... about a friend of his, maybe?"

Before any of them could comment on her speculation, a rattling noise erupted from the pile of tools they had taken from Link. "What's that?" Moving over to the boy's belongings, Tikal shifted through them until she found the source: the Pirate Charm. "Bring it over here."

As Lance took hold of the glowing green stone, Tetra's voice snapped out "You're not Link! Who is this!"

"My name is Lance," the blonde answered calmly, seemingly unphased by the outburst. "I'm a friend of Link's. To whom am I speaking?"

"Lance...?" Recognition lay in the Pirate's voice, the girl's temper cooling a bit. "You're one of his companions... Where is he? Is he alright!" Exchanging a brief look with Tikal, Lance sighed. "You have to tell me! I'm his girlfriend! Tetra!"

Anri fluttered to the stone, her red glow dim. "So you're who he was calling for... I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Link's been poisoned..."

"WHAT! How!"

"In our last battle, he took a hit from a monster's claw, and some venom got into his system..." Turning so that the stone was in eyeshot of Link, Lance continued "We've split up into two groups, one looking for the last antidote ingredient, the rest tending to him. We've been trying to keep him stable, but until the others get back..."

Tetra gasped, signalling that she could see her love's fallen form through the stone's magic. "Oh, Link..." Taking a deep breath, she cautiously asked "How long have they been gone...?"

A bang sounded from a nearby table, Rand having driven his fist into it in frustration. "Been damn near an hour so far... What in blazes is keepin' 'em?"

"Nothing." A voice growled from the door. There stood Shadow, armor stained with Chykka blood and some acid burns from stinger shots. Tossing the egg he carried to L'ebroy, he said "I got your damn egg. Get to work."

Smiling, Lance gave a small sigh of relief. "Looks like we might be in time. I'll have Link call you when he recovers."

"But... but..." Tetra's voice cut off as Lance released the stone, letting it rest in Link's hands. As he closed the unconscious boy's fingers around the object, its glow faded.

"Come on guys, let's see if we can help make that antidote."

_**End Chapter 34**_


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